tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65533882019611259072018-01-08T23:39:25.049-08:00Borders AsideThe purpose for this blog is to share my thoughts, hopes dreams, lessons learned ext. I hope that in some way my experience will bring some comfort to others. Just remember you are not alone in your situation find your peace that passes all understanding and have fun with your life no matter where you are. Amanda Seyerhttps://plus.google.com/104368280830404235093noreply@blogger.comBlogger332125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6553388201961125907.post-62068772082905974262016-04-06T20:38:00.001-07:002016-04-06T20:38:17.854-07:00Give them up to GodAs Iv mentioned before my husband and I are working on writing a guideline for parenting counseling. Its something Iv always been passionate about and I enjoy with all my heart. In a book I was reading today a lady talked about how writing several blogs and articles on the subject is how she eventually compiled her book. So I figure my next few blogs will be on the subject of parenting. I'm very careful not to say Christian parenting because I don't want to dissuade people from reading the advise. To be honest the bible has wonderful principles for living life and if it can help you be a better parent then lets use it. I personally love Christ with all &nbsp;my heart and know that He is the only way. And through His love I hope to help you love you children the way He wishes us to. Also I feel it necessary to mention although I write about these things with much confidence its not because I have accomplished it. (One of my favorite verses is Philippians 3:12<span style="color: #0092f2; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;">&nbsp;</span></span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.</span>) The reason for my confidence is because I trust my God and I know it to be true and right. Just because we know something to be true and right doesn't mean we are able to complete it 100%. The key is to keep our eyes on Him and let him help us to keep or focus on the right track.<br /><br /><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">So today the topic is why should I give my children up God. The original topic which I had planned, was on giving them up, &nbsp;but then I started thinking there may be some out there who would argue the why factor. I'm usually that person which is why I thought of it. So before I go into the how lets talk about why.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">First off a parents greatest concern is there child's future. How will he/she be when they are 20. Will they be successful, beautiful, handsome, be a great mother, father, teacher brother, sister, etc etc. This list could go on for ages, Ill stop now. &nbsp;In Mathew 6:25-34 (below) Jesus talks about how we are not to worry. What I love about parents is they will actually tell you, well yeah that's talking about clothing and money, not my child. But in verse 25 it says YOUR LIFE. And almost any parent will agree that their children a huge part of their life. And really there is just no arguing with verse 27, how many&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: 18px;">minuets</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">&nbsp;have&nbsp;you saved and how many problems have you solved in your life by worrying about your children. Worrying about their day, their week, their schooling, their future. Most often it just makes you physically sick or an emotional train wreck. I love how in vs 28 Jesus says they do not labor or spin. So often God has shown me myself in a vision laboring and spinning. Not long ago someone told me they saw that God was asking me to dance with him. I told God I do want to dance with you whats going on here. And he showed me my "dancing." Believe me a flower laboring and spinning is a much nicer way of putting it. In this he reminded me that he has and always will provide much more than what I need. And if I will just focus on dancing with him he will also dance with my girls.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Worrying solves nothing and the only way to not worry is to check out vs 33. Seek him first. Don't seek the best collage, the most appropriate friends, the highest grades, again etc etc, you put your appropriate answer there. Sure some day you will have to help your child choose a collage, and guide them with their friends but the choosing is theirs. And if they are constantly pointed towards Christ and know to listen to the Spirit I promise you they will choose well. But how will they know to keep their eyes on Christ and to listen the Spirit if all they have ever seen you do is labor and spin. Children learn best by example and really its one of the few ways they learn for many years. Everything they learn in school can be forgotten but the emotional and spiritual lessons stay in the soul and spirit. If you don't believe me try helping a fifth grader with their math homework and see if you remember everything you learned in class. Then try and remember if you learned any life lessons in fifth grade. Ok so now it kind of sounds obvious that we are commanded to give our cares... our children up to God. Right?!?!?! Well if your not convinced I have more.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="reg" style="background: #FDFEFF; line-height: 15.75pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-outline-level: 3; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18.75pt;"><span class="reftext"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 7.5pt;"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/6-25.htm"><b><span style="color: #0092f2;">25</span></b></a></span></span><span class="red"><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 7.5pt;">“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?</span></span><span style="color: #001320; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 7.5pt;">&nbsp;<span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/6-26.htm"><b><span style="color: #0092f2;">26</span></b></a></span></span><span class="red"><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 7.5pt;">Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?</span></span><span style="color: #001320; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 7.5pt;">&nbsp;<span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/6-27.htm"><b><span style="color: #0092f2;">27</span></b></a></span></span><span class="red"><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 7.5pt;">Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life</span></span><span class="nivfootnote"><b><i><sup><span style="color: #0066aa; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 7.5pt;"><a href="http://biblehub.com/niv/matthew/6.htm#footnotes" title="Or single cubit to your height"><span style="color: #0092f2;">e</span></a></span></sup></i></b></span><span class="red"><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 7.5pt;">&nbsp;?</span></span><span style="color: #001320; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 18.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="reg" style="background: #FDFEFF; line-height: 15.75pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-outline-level: 3; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18.75pt;"><span class="reftext"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 7.5pt;"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/6-28.htm"><b><span style="color: #0092f2;">28</span></b></a></span></span><span class="red"><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 7.5pt;">“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.</span></span><span class="reftext"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 7.5pt;"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/6-29.htm"><b><span style="color: #0092f2;">29</span></b></a></span></span><span class="red"><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 7.5pt;">Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.</span></span><span style="color: #001320; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 7.5pt;">&nbsp;<span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/6-30.htm"><b><span style="color: #0092f2;">30</span></b></a></span></span><span class="red"><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 7.5pt;">If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?</span></span><span style="color: #001320; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 7.5pt;">&nbsp;<span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/6-31.htm"><b><span style="color: #0092f2;">31</span></b></a></span></span><span class="red"><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 7.5pt;">So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’</span></span><span style="color: #001320; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 7.5pt;">&nbsp;<span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/6-32.htm"><b><span style="color: #0092f2;">32</span></b></a></span></span><span class="red"><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 7.5pt;">For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.</span></span><span style="color: #001320; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 7.5pt;">&nbsp;<span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/6-33.htm"><b><span style="color: #0092f2;">33</span></b></a></span></span><span class="red"><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 7.5pt;">But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.</span></span><span style="color: #001320; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 7.5pt;">&nbsp;<span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/6-34.htm"><b><span style="color: #0092f2;">34</span></b></a></span></span><span class="red"><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 7.5pt;">Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.</span></span><span style="color: #001320; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 18.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Here I have added Philippians 4:4-9 which is another Spirit given command to us. Verse 4 is easily an answer to how to give you children up to God and the following are the why. Verse 6 doesn't say don't be anxious about anything, EXCEPT YOUR CHILDREN. Not only does it say about anything but it goes on to repeat and stress the point with, in every situation. If there is anything that can rack the nerves more than children I don't know what it is. But this verse says in every situation. That includes when your trying to work and the kids need help with homework and don't forget to mention your three days behind in laundry and your floor hasn't been mopped all week... oooppp and someone just puked in the middle of the kitchen floor. Yep even in that situation. So how are we suppose to respond to this scenario again. By praying (giving it up to Him) and giving Him thanks. Thanks for the job you have that brings in some cash, thanks that your children are learning something new and that's why they have questions, thanks that you are there and you can help them, thanks that your children have enough cloths to dirty up and continue having clean cloths to wear, thanks that you have a house and a floor to mop .... well to be honest I'm having trouble thinking of one for the vomit situation. And then let God know, I need you to take this, help please. Here's the thing He wont enter until you ask. But in that moment you will start to feel his presence. He is always there but he will not intervene if you don't want Him to. If your sure you have got it all under control and that you can do it on your own. He will allow you that space. But if you seek him, if you thank him, if you just open up your heart and say I need You... just read verse 7. Take a min to meditate on that. Let it sink in. Have you ever felt that peace. If you haven't just ask for it. I promise its what He wants you to feel. I also promise you that giving up your children to him on a daily basis is how you will feel that peace. Something that is beyond understanding. That means that most of the world will look at you like your crazy. And ask you why your are not a wreck. I have a good friend who's son deals with a fatal illness on a daily basis. He wasn't suppose to live through being a toddle and he is 17. They continue with constant doctor appointments and surgeries but he also continues to jump out of trees and play soccer. She, according to the world, should be an absolute mess. But shes not, she has learned how to give him up to God. She has learned to trust her Daddy with her baby and let him grow to be what God has him to be. She is a constant reminder to me of this peace and why I need to continue giving my girls up to God. Something else that comes with this peace is grace. If you screw it up you can always fall back on the fact that God is the one raising your children. Believe me if you truly let Him make the decisions then you can truly fall back on the fact that even if you mess up Hes got your back. &nbsp;The last thing I want to mention about this verse is another how. Its mentioned in verse 8. Keep you focus on the positive, on your advances, on your kids advances. We all screw up &nbsp;but if you let yourself dwell on your screw ups the devil will have a hay day with you. Keep your focus on what is admirable, excellent or praiseworthy.&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="reg" style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="reftext" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 14px; margin-left: 1px; margin-right: 2px; vertical-align: text-top;"><a href="http://biblehub.com/philippians/4-4.htm" style="color: #0092f2; text-decoration: none;"><b>4</b></a></span>Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!&nbsp;<span class="reftext" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 14px; margin-left: 1px; margin-right: 2px; vertical-align: text-top;"><a href="http://biblehub.com/philippians/4-5.htm" style="color: #0092f2; text-decoration: none;"><b>5</b></a></span>Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.&nbsp;<span class="reftext" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 14px; margin-left: 1px; margin-right: 2px; vertical-align: text-top;"><a href="http://biblehub.com/philippians/4-6.htm" style="color: #0092f2; text-decoration: none;"><b>6</b></a></span>Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.&nbsp;<span class="reftext" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 14px; margin-left: 1px; margin-right: 2px; vertical-align: text-top;"><a href="http://biblehub.com/philippians/4-7.htm" style="color: #0092f2; text-decoration: none;"><b>7</b></a></span>And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span lang="ES-MX"></span></span></div><div class="reg" style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="reftext" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 14px; margin-left: 1px; margin-right: 2px; vertical-align: text-top;"><a href="http://biblehub.com/philippians/4-8.htm" style="color: #0092f2; text-decoration: none;"><b>8</b></a></span>Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.<span class="reftext" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 14px; margin-left: 1px; margin-right: 2px; vertical-align: text-top;"><a href="http://biblehub.com/philippians/4-9.htm" style="color: #0092f2; text-decoration: none;"><b>9</b></a></span>Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.</span></div><div class="reg" style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px;"><br /></span></div><div class="reg" style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px;">Well I could most likely go on but I try to keep my blogs short. I hope this helped you to understand the importance of giving your kidos up to God and letting go. In the next post I will look at some scriptures that will help in the how.&nbsp;</span></div>Amanda Seyerhttps://plus.google.com/104368280830404235093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6553388201961125907.post-28450212230993944112016-03-13T09:54:00.000-07:002016-03-13T09:55:16.444-07:00Being well spoken and eloquent Over the last eight years I have lived a journey I never knew I would experience. Learning a new language and living it is an experience which is ongoing and exciting. Although I can be very proud of my accomplishments to this point I certainly can not say that I am well spoken or eloquent when speaking in Spanish. This very idea has caused some slight issues over the last couple years . I am currently at an interesting point in my Spanish abilities. Where I can converse quiet fluently but there are still times that I may say something wrong which doesn't quite translate my feelings or emotions. Luckily most people I am in contact with know me well and know my heart and are able to "translate" my feelings and thought through what I have actually said. The problem comes in when the person I am speaking to doesn't know me well or wishes to use my words to their own personal use.<br />I am currently a teacher in a preschool/primary and a co-pastor at our church. My calling is to lead and instruct, to care and love, to guide and teach. Most of this calling is being done in Spanish. Many times the enemy has entered in and said, " How on earth do think you can do this. You are not even from here. You don't understand these people. They are saying things that you don't really get. You are only going to confuse them." &nbsp;Etcetera, Etcetrea, I could go on for half a page with all the crap he tells me.<br />&nbsp;I loved speech class in high school. It was one of the only classes I got good grades in. That and sciences. Even though I was a rebel child and was extremely disinterested in school, speech class was one of the highlights of my day. Any job I held since the age of 15 I was told I was a great communicator. That I was able to get my thoughts across and people could understand me well. As a nurse I worked a lot with the teaching aspect to instruct and teach and again I was often praised for a job well done.<br />All this to say that in my 30's God placed me in multiple positions of teaching and leading which I had to do in a second language. There have been times when I wanted to be like Moses in Exodus 4 and say.<span class="reftext" style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #0092f2; font-family: &quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px; margin-left: 1px; margin-right: 2px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: text-top;"><a href="http://biblehub.com/exodus/4-10.htm" style="color: #0092f2; text-decoration: none;">10</a></span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: &quot;trebuchet&quot; , &quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">Then Moses said to the LORD, "Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither recently nor in time past, nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue." or&nbsp;</span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: &quot;trebuchet&quot; , &quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</span><span class="reftext" style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #0092f2; font-family: &quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px; margin-left: 1px; margin-right: 2px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: text-top;"><a href="http://biblehub.com/exodus/4-13.htm" style="color: #0092f2; text-decoration: none;">13</a></span><span class="highl" style="text-align: justify;">But he said, "Please, Lord, now send the message by whomever You will." But any time I did start to slack off and let someone else speak for me a hunger rose up in me. I felt an urge to express the love or encouragement in the way God gave me to do it. Here is the thing, God can always find someone else, as he found Aaron for Moses, to do what he has asked you to do. But he has asked you to do it because he needs your stamp on &nbsp;it.&nbsp;</span><br /><span class="highl" style="text-align: justify;">So when God speaks and says.&nbsp;</span><span class="reftext" style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #0092f2; font-family: &quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px; margin-left: 1px; margin-right: 2px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: text-top;"><a href="http://biblehub.com/exodus/4-11.htm" style="color: #0092f2; text-decoration: none;">11</a></span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: &quot;trebuchet&quot; , &quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">The LORD said to him, "Who has made man's mouth? Or who makes him mute or deaf, or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the LORD?&nbsp;</span><span class="reftext" style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #0092f2; font-family: &quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px; margin-left: 1px; margin-right: 2px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: text-top;"><a href="http://biblehub.com/exodus/4-12.htm" style="color: #0092f2; text-decoration: none;">12</a></span><span class="highl" style="background-color: #fff4ec; color: #001320; font-family: &quot;trebuchet&quot; , &quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">"Now then go, and I, even I, will be with your mouth, and teach you what you are to say."</span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: &quot;trebuchet&quot; , &quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">&nbsp; Then I say ok Lord I will go. But how many times do I fail, and stumble. It is still such a struggle and a punch to my pride that I can not be well spoken and eloquent in my speech. OHHHH!!! There it is my friends. God uses the our&nbsp;weakest&nbsp;parts for his work so that all&nbsp;the glory can be his, as it should be.</span></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: &quot;trebuchet&quot; , &quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">I was recently reminded of the importance of this when listening to a well known prophet speak. His name is thrown around often in our church meetings and to be honest I had never really listened to one of his sermons. The other day a friend of mine sent me one because it was speaking about a word I had recently received. As I listen to it I&nbsp;realized&nbsp;that he was a horrible speaker. This makes me laugh out loud&nbsp;because he speaks in his native language (English). I tell you this not to say I was judging him but just that without&nbsp;meaning&nbsp;to I had my speech teachers checklist in my head and he was flunking. And this was when God&nbsp;steeped&nbsp;in and said, " Your right, but he impacts millions of lives every day, he reveals my&nbsp;love and intentions for people using his&nbsp;gifting and using it in the way I see fit. And even though you feel like you have been failing people in your manner of speaking in Spanish, you are reaching their souls in a way no other can." Yep I'm crying now even typing this. My Papi has such a beautiful way of speaking to me. And the point in writing this blog is so that any of you who doubt what you are called to do just because you were not trained or raised to do it, my hope is that i can encourage you to stay steady. Don't be like Moses in this aspect. Trust God to give you your words and speak through your mouth. Don't wait around until he sends an Aaron.&nbsp;</span></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: &quot;trebuchet&quot; , &quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">It is true that if you wait for your Aaron he will still reach hearts just like he did with Moses but it wont be the same. He wants you, he wants your weakness, he wants your errors, he wants your relationship. God taught me a lot about pride in my 20's and when he brought me to Mexico my pride was broke into tiny little pieces because had I held onto it I would have been broken into a million pieces. And even though I let it go, it still tries to peak its ugly little head in from time to time and say, " How silly you look, How silly you sound." And this is when I lean back on my Papi and say, " Let my words be your words, let your feelings be represented and not mine. Speak through me and let your message be clearly received."&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: &quot;trebuchet&quot; , &quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">So now it is time to continue another week, to go and minister, with a microphone in front of at least 60-70 people in our evening service, to let the Spirit of Christ himself speak through my mouth. To guide children and to love them, to speak life into my coworkers, and express His love. And most of all to do all of this with confidence. Confidence in part in my self because if God says I can I am doubting him by saying I cant. And confidence in the Holy Spirit that he will guide me in all knowledge.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: &quot;trebuchet&quot; , &quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">So if you are doubting your calling or your gifting that may be a good sign. But what action you take next is the real key. Are you going to do as Moses and argue with God about it or are you going to say, " If you say so, I will walk in that."&nbsp;</span><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span class="highl" style="background-color: #fff4ec; color: #001320; font-family: &quot;trebuchet&quot; , &quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span><span class="highl" style="background-color: #fff4ec; color: #001320; font-family: &quot;trebuchet&quot; , &quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span><span class="highl" style="background-color: #fff4ec; color: #001320; font-family: &quot;trebuchet&quot; , &quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span><span class="highl" style="background-color: #fff4ec; color: #001320; font-family: &quot;trebuchet&quot; , &quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span><span class="highl" style="background-color: #fff4ec; color: #001320; font-family: &quot;trebuchet&quot; , &quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span><span class="highl" style="background-color: #fff4ec; color: #001320; font-family: &quot;trebuchet&quot; , &quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span>Amanda Seyerhttps://plus.google.com/104368280830404235093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6553388201961125907.post-73225231549110216812015-11-22T07:24:00.003-08:002015-11-22T07:24:43.452-08:00Thanksgiving in Mexico<div class="MsoNormal">Thanksgiving is a holiday which I didn’t really think much about before I came to. I mean sure I loved the get together and the turkey but that’s about all it was for me. I hardly remembered the whole story behind it besides that it had to do with pilgrims and Indians. I honestly didn’t even know how much I had taken the holiday for granted until my first Thanksgiving here in Mexico. This post is dedicated to all my ladies who are in their first few years her in Mexico. I actually don’t get sad at Thanksgiving anymore. It’s a fun time with good friends and my family. But this year I had some friends over who are in their first few years here and I was reminded of how hard it was before. I want you all to know I’m sending this blog out as a virtual hug to help you feel a bit better during this time of year which can be very difficult. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Flashback to November 2008, I was determined to still celebrate Thanksgiving and make it as much like home as I could. I had no idea how to make a turkey and hubby was working constantly. I think I ended up making a ham. Since I was fairly new to staying at home and not working all day the dinner and clean up didn’t seem to take as long as I thought it would. So this gave me an incredible amount of time to think. That is never a good thing. We invited the only family we had in town at the time. I wanted us to eat dinner around 6pm so we could have everything cleaned up and tidy for an appropriate bed time. For those of you that have been here form more than a few days may already be laughing. Of course six o clock rolls around and I have my daughter watching the parade over and over again on the computer. Food is cooked, hot and ready to serve. My husband comes in and is so thankful for all I’ve done. I’m feeling pretty good at this point. I mean even though we had mentioned that we would eat at six I had been in Mexico almost 6 months now and I knew they would be a “bit” late. Now its seven o’clock and I was getting a little annoyed. I ask hubby to call his family and find out what’s going on. Oh they say they would be here around eight. What?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? That’s when I gave up on my Thanksgiving being anything like in the states. Isn’t it funny how my expectations totally ruined my day? That happened to me a lot when I first got here. Next I fed Alana and put her to bed and Issac and I hung out until they showed up. Here is where it gets interesting. We heated up the food and sat down to eat, then came the flow of questions. Why do you celebrate Thanksgiving? Why do you eat turkey? When was the first thanksgiving? What happened? Why is the pumpkin pie so important? What’s your favorite part about thanksgiving? I of course mumbled and scrambled my way through explanations as Issac translated for me. But it made me realize how I hadn’t really thought of these things in a very long time. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">From that year on I decided we needed to make traditions that help us to remember what Thanksgiving is about. And for me it’s not really about pilgrims and Indians. To me it’s about taking a day (or a month) to be sure and reminds yourself of all that you are thankful for. I know that we need to be thankful all year round and actually we are but how much better to have a day specially set out to celebrate what you’re thankful for with friends and family. The girls learn about Christopher Columbus and all that in October here so I just let them know that the original Thanksgiving was because the immigrants needed help and the people who already were there taught them how to survive and that is what they were celebrating. One of our favorite traditions is our Thankful tree. We make it and put it up at the beginning of November and anyone who visits is asked to write on a leaf what they are thankful for. My girls write a leaf almost every day if I let them. Here is a beginning and now pic of our tree this year. It looks a bit different every year and depends on what materials I have on hand. Last year it was made form newspaper. This year I happened to have large white paper so we used that. 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Missouri was in October 2009 when my oldest was three and the middle one was only 6 months old. That’s insane!!!!!! But really it was necessary on so many accounts. First of all I think I needed the isolation from the states to help with the culture adjustments. I still remember the day I read Leslies blog when she said she hadn’t been back to the states for over five years and that she didn’t really miss it all that much anymore. I remember thinking I want that, I’m sick of comparing, I’m ready to be “at home” in Mexico. It’s not like I planned it really but I do remember reading that and thinking that. Then when my middle child was less than two years old number three popped out. (She really did just pop out, labor was less than four hours). &nbsp;I had my hands full with little ones and the time just flew by. I started working, and really vacations time and money are two things that just don’t line up to often. About year four after my last visit I was just too nervous to try to travel alone with all three girls. The time I went before honestly it was a nightmare with a three year old and a six month old. Then there was the whole Canada fiasco. We were thinking maybe we should get there first and then it will be easier to visit.</div><div class="MsoNormal">&nbsp;Ok so that is the end of all my excuses. I always feel like I have to give them because when I tell people I haven’t visited my family in six years I get dagger eyes from them. Once someone was giving a prophetic word to me about Lily and they said that she will do missions, but that it would be short term missions and that her heart and home would always be in Mexico with her mom and dad”. Then they added, “Unlike yours which flew the coop and never looked back.” It made me laugh because I hadn’t even told them yet how long it had been.&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoNormal">So, the last couple months have been filled with a crazy roller coaster of emotions. God has shown me many images and I’ve had countless dreams about things that will go on while I’m there. So many things that right now seem impossible. I can’t quite figure out the logistics of how theywill happen. But over and over He has proven to be right when he speaks to me in this way so I have believed. Also fear has entered about being in the airport and going through customs with less than a two hour layover and three kids. Later I get excited because someone sets up a date where I will get to see them and hug them. And I remember how excited I am to see all the people I love and who have supported me in all this time. Then I remember that I hardly even go to the grocery store with all three girls and without my husband. Oh crap Im going to a different country with them and without him, WHAT WAS I THINKING!!!!! My sister then sends me a message about her vacation time and I start to relax and think about morning chatting over coffee and spiritual discussions. This makes me start thinking about how most of my family lives in the country and my girls are such city kids and I’ll have to be on top of them the whole time. So basically this is how I have been for a couple months now. Really this is just a small peak inside the insanity.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">But guess what my Father God doesn’t want this insanity going on inside my head. He wants peace, patience, and good thoughts. He reminded me of that this weekend in our prayer service. I received word after word form people I hadn’t discussed any of this with. And of course He spoke directly to me covering me with a blanket of His love. He reminded me that he is so much bigger than all that other stuff. He reminded me that if He can stop a freaking hurricane from blowing up Mexico then he can help us get through customs without stress. He reminded me that I have given and continue to give my girls and their safety to Him on a daily basis. He gave me peace in my heart that even as I now write all those things above I laugh at them. I know that they are nothing compared to my Daddy in heaven. That the entire time the Holy Spirit will be there giving me, and my girls, His wisdom and His knowledge. And even now as I write he tells me he wants to heal people even in the airport. That this can be a mission trip and it makes me so happy and calm.<o:p></o:p></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal">Now we get to the fun part. Now I am planning without fear. I am overly excited. I have gifts for my friends and family members. I have checked our suit cases to be sure we have enough. We are in the process of getting our consent letter printed and notarized. And the tickets have been ready for quite some time now. So here is and image of what we will look like in just 4 weeks and three days. My girls are going to be baffled by all that we see and do. SO EXCITING!!!!!!!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HmGECDa0Y1s/VkijynYpeKI/AAAAAAAABYo/SWduuogkmcM/s1600/girls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HmGECDa0Y1s/VkijynYpeKI/AAAAAAAABYo/SWduuogkmcM/s400/girls.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><br /> <div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<o:p></o:p></div>Amanda Seyerhttps://plus.google.com/104368280830404235093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6553388201961125907.post-66063012258329058722015-11-08T17:33:00.003-08:002015-11-08T17:35:29.344-08:00Discipline, What does it really mean?<div class="MsoNormal">Today I am going to write about raising children. Yikes this is a heavy subject. I have felt inspired to write about this for various reasons. One of which is that my position in the church makes it necessary. My husband and I are in charge of the Pastoral Ministries in our church. Somehow God managed to implant the churches mission vision and DNA into our hearts long before we ever came to SOZO. The Holy Spirit is amazing in that way. That being said the things I’m going to write about are nothing new as far as biblical principles but they are often times ignored. Also they are often times spoken of without the aspect of grace (through which we have been saved and not through works). So soon I will be writing a counseling manual for those in our church who will be giving counseling to young families. My idea is to get some of my thoughts out here first to help me organize things. Hope you all enjoy and learn and grow in your walk of being a mother. As I have said over and over these principles apply to all moms Christian or not. They are laws written into the fabric of existence that no men can separate from. So if you are not a Christian (like many of my friends and family) read on and see if this helps you with any issues you may have with your kidos. In writing about this just like any other topic I write about I have to admit I am far from considering myself perfect or that I move in these principles 100% every day. But what I can tell you is that I try and I have seen the fruits of each one in the lives of my children. I know I’m biased but really my kidos are amazing!!!!! And to be honest I’m not the only one who notices. But really I can’t take a lot of credit for it. Ill speak more about this a bit later.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I’m going to base this blog on Proverbs 23:12-26. &nbsp;Normally I place the verses at the end but this time I’m going to put them here and discuss each one in detail.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br /></b><span style="color: blue;">12. Apply your heart to discipline<br />And your ears to words of knowledge.</span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Ok mamas this verse is for you not your kidos. If we expect to discipline our children we have to discipline ourselves first. We have to be the example for our little ones, someone they can look up to. For those of you who do not have children and are not ready for this step, please wait. Our children learn by mimicking words and actions. Many times they don’t understand the meanings or implications of such words and actions but they understand that they "work" to accomplish something. Also we have to resign ourselves to be strong and stick to our words. This involves much discipline on a mom part. Many days it is just easier to clean the whole hose by yourself but if you have taught your children that they should be a part of that process it needs to be constant. How can we grow in our discipline? Well for me seeing results is what has helped me stay steady in discipline. The days when my girls come home and clean up without me saying so or yelling or acting crazy (yes this happens sometimes to), I know they are getting it and that I have been showing a good example.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Now about the words of knowledge, recently there have been videos out about how everyone, including people you don’t know, wants to give you advice on child rearing. Ugg this is so true and especially here in Mexico. And lo and behold what am I doing in this very blog. The honest truth is that you can’t receive the ideas of everyone and think you can apply them all. First you have to decide what your principle beliefs are. If your faith is in God you don’t need to rub eggs on your sick baby or tie strings around their fingers. If you agree about the basic laws which God wove into creation then seek them and you will find your answers. This does not go to say that you shouldn’t seek help. Many times as mothers we run out of options and don’t know which way to turn. This can be a very dangerous situation. What this means is to seek words of knowledge. Look at the children in your life; are any of them how you hope to see your child someday? If so, seek out that mom. If you are in a church, seek out your leaders. And if you don’t like what you see in their kids, then simply seek out Gods advice. Read in your bible about what it says and let the Holy Spirit give you the words of Knowledge you need. You are never ever alone as mom. And if you feel alone please seek a knowledgeable voice for your life. There are tons of blogs, Facebook pages, ext. that can help to guide you. Just be sure to always filter what you are told through the bible and with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. If you dont have those two things to filter I’m afraid there will be some things that are just plain trial and error.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br /></b><span style="color: blue;">13. Do not withhold discipline from the child;</span><br /><span style="color: blue;">If you&nbsp;[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+23&amp;version=AMP#fen-AMP-17058a" title="See footnote a">a</a>]swat him with a&nbsp;<i>reed-like</i>&nbsp;rod [applied with godly wisdom], he will not die.</span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Here is the kicker. I know there are so many people out there today that want to say that spanking children is bad and will ruin them. But that is simply not the case. The version I am using is the amplified bible. I love this version because it returns to the original translation and writes out complete thoughts about certain words that just don’t translate. When you learn more than one language, you find that often times a word cannot be translated with just one word. You need a thought or a phrase to explain the word. Here they have placed in parenthesis around, applied with Godly wisdom. Wow this is so important. Later I will be talking more about anger but it has to enter in this part also. Spanking should never be done in anger. Children are born into a sinful nature once again due to laws set out since Adam and Eve. The thing is whoever thinks that children are innocent and don’t do intentionally do wrong, has either not had children or do not speak to their children. There is an amazing live stand up by Bill Cosby where he talks about exactly that. Here is the link for some good laughs.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FTVn3QyrYo" target="_blank">Bill Cosby Himself truthfulness of children</a><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Child instincts are naturally not positive because they only think of themselves and what they want. This is not something bad it’s just natural. But they need to be taught and instructed on how not to be this way. Children are the best manipulators you will ever meet, and if you don’t believe this about your child you are most likely the victim of said manipulation. I am not saying you should spank your child for everything they do wrong but there are times in which it is needed. There are many situations where a time out is sufficient and in this you need to know your children and decide according to their personalities.<br /><b><br /></b><span style="color: blue;">14. You shall&nbsp;[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+23&amp;version=AMP#fen-AMP-17059b" title="See footnote b">b</a>]swat him with the&nbsp;<i>reed-like</i>&nbsp;rod<br />And rescue his life from Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead).</span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">This sounds so extreme, right? Save him from hell!!!! Well yeah in reality that’s what you will be doing. Children have to be taught that people are not to be manipulated, that the world is not only about them and that they should love other people.&nbsp;&nbsp;How can they love other people? Love is an action it is a verb. They also need to learn obedience. Many of the world wide problems today are because people think they should always get to do what they want and not what they are told. &nbsp;Clearly any environment is better when creativity and grace enter. But there has to be a balance. Learning to submit to leadership and guidance is such a hard lesson. It makes it even harder if children were never taught to do so when young. Although it may seem harsh right now while your child is five years old think about how they will be able to keep a job if they refuse to submit to a boss. Thinking of the most recent reasons my children received a spanking was because they were treating their siblings in a manner that is not acceptable or because they refused to clean their room. Was I angry and flying off the handle when I spanked them? Of course not! &nbsp;<u>As a mom you have to be sure that discipline happens before you reach your limit. This enters into the mommy discipline that I spoke of earlier. If you feel your tempeture rising take a deep breath calm down then apply discipline to the child.&nbsp;</u><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue;"><b><br /></b>15. My son, if your heart is wise,<br />My heart will also be glad;<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue;">16. Yes, my heart will rejoice<br />When your lips speak right things.</span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">This verse gives me rest and peace. It’s so true. Like I said before the results of self-discipline are what encourages you to keep it up. In the same way that our Father God looks at us and is glad, we can look at our children and be glad. This is not a prideful gladness because we know that really God is raising our children but a gladness knowing that my child will have successful relationships and a pure heart as an adult. A fullness that is worth every effort you have put forth. My kids teach me so much day after day. At times their wisdom throws me for a loop and I love to learn from them.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br /></b><span style="color: blue;">17. Do not let your heart envy sinners [who live godless lives and have no hope of salvation],<br />But [continue to] live in the [reverent, worshipful] fear of the&nbsp;Lord&nbsp;day by day.</span><br />Sometimes my girls notice that other moms are not as strict or do not expect as much out of their children as I do. They have asked me before, why does so and sos mom let them act that way. Many times this has been a great teaching moment. I ask my girls how it made them feel when said child acted the way they did. How did it affect the activity or play that was going on? Should we cause that kind of feelings for other people? The thing is kids that throw fits and act out many times is due to lack of identity and love (which will be in another post). Discipline is an act of love. It gives children security and helps them have order in their world. By living a disciplined life and thinking of others we honor God because he loves those "others" as much as he loves you. His love is an unconditional love. So I help my girls to understand that is why I discipline them. I do it out of love, and so far they understand and accept this with great understanding.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue;">18. Surely there is a future [and a reward],<br />And your hope&nbsp;<i>and</i>&nbsp;expectation will not be cut off.</span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Ahhh there is that peace again. In the midst of the turmoil of being a mommy we can rest in the promises God has given us. There will be a reward. Somedays we don’t see it, but others it is so evident. Again the fruits of your labor should be shining through every once in a while to give you this glimmer of hope for the future. And of course once they are grown and have their own children they will be a daily example of your efforts and of the love God has towards them. I love how it says your expectation will not be cut off. Because those who have received promises brought to completion from God know that He always goes the extra mile. Your expectations fall very short of what God has for your children. His dreams and goals for them are HUGE!!! Your children have a life purpose so much bigger than you can even imagine. We should be their launching ground. At our church we speak of parents building a platform that can serve as a roof for their children until the children can then build even higher. We want them to excide what we have accomplished in life and in Christ.<br /><span style="color: blue;">19Listen, my son, and be wise,<br />And direct your heart in the way [of the&nbsp;Lord].<br /><b>&nbsp;</b>20Do not associate with heavy drinkers of wine,<br /><i>Or</i>&nbsp;with gluttonous eaters of meat,<br /><b>&nbsp;</b>21For the heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty,<br />And the drowsiness [of overindulgence] will clothe one with rags.</span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>&nbsp;</b>Here we have to talk about the constant education and teaching that we need to be giving to our children. Since the age of two or three my girls have had a piggy bank which they save money all year long. Each Easter they are allowed to open their banks and spend their money however they wish. My husband and I give them ideas and make suggestions when they ask for them but otherwise we allow them to buy what they want and we never add to what they have. If they don’t have enough then they have to find something else. My oldest daughter is now 9 and you would be amazed at how wise her spending decisions are. We cannot just give, give, give and give to our children. When we do this we are teaching them that they can always get what they want. That even if they don’t have enough resources it will be given to them. Often times I look around and wish that my girls could have all the fun stuff I had as a kid. But also I know that because of all that stuff I had my mom went into debt. And I never thought I had enough. I got arrested for stealing at 15 years old and it wasn’t the first time I had stolen. The point is that going into debt to give your children everything you always or never had will not help them. My girls are happy yet sometimes they notice that other kids have things they don’t. But they also take care of the things that they have. They appreciate each and every gift in a special way. They have learned to make toys out of recycled items and how to appreciate those toys even more because they made them. I know I have a lot to learn here because often times my flesh sneaks in and gets envious of those moms who do give everything to their children. It’s a constant fight between my spirit and flesh but when I feel I’m not sure I remember to seek out the knowledge of God.<br /><span style="color: blue;">22Listen to your father, who sired you,<br />And do not despise your mother when she is old.</span><br /><b>&nbsp;</b>How can we teach this part to our children? This&nbsp;is only taught but example. You cannot tell your children to respect you then speak badly about your mother... or mother in law (ouch). You cannot say listen to your father and then ignore any advice given by your own... or by your husband (your children’s father). Ok I guess you can do that but I promise you your children will notice the double standard and follow your actions and not your words.<br /><span style="color: blue;">23Buy truth, and do not sell it;<br />Get wisdom and instruction and understanding.</span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Ok so I have to admit this verse through me for a loop at first. I had to do some cross referencing about the words buy and sell. Because at first I thought well selling the truth would be a good idea right? If you do cross reference checking on the word used for buy in this verses it was often translated as seek, look for, search, or find. Ok so we need to be looking for the truth. This goes along with what we said before. It’s ok not to know everything and to seek out knowledgeable advice. And the word used for sell in other verses is used for gaining profit, for personal gain, or loving your own life more than Christ. Wow that is pretty powerful. We should not do all of this for our own personal gain. We need to do this for the love of Christ and for the betterment of our children. Child rearing should never turn into a selfish accomplishment. It’s something no one can do correctly without the guidance of our Father and to be honest this should be a relief. In this way we can also fall back on the Grace He has for us through Christ when we screw it up, which we will all do more than once.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br /></b><span style="color: blue;">24The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice,<br />And he who sires a wise child will have joy in him.<br /><b><br /></b>25Let your father and your mother be glad,</span><br />And let her who gave birth to you rejoice [in your wise and godly choices].<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>&nbsp;</b>So first off as a daughter still one my favorite things are to call and tell my parents of my recent personal accomplishments. I know my mom will be reading this blog and will feel a since of pride that she has done a work well done. I know my parents were not perfect the same that I am not perfect. But they deserve my respect for what they did accomplish and for the things I did learn from them. &nbsp;Quite honestly we went through some pretty hard times as a family but I look at all my siblings and can see that my father can be glad and my mother can rejoice. In this same way peace enters in during the most frustrating moments of being a mommy. I can give it to God and know that someday and really in small pieces every day I will receive this promise in completion.<br /><span style="color: blue;">26My son, give me your heart<br />And let your eyes delight in my ways,</span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">This verse reflects something I mentioned briefly before. All of this is possible when you truly give it all up to God. It says give me your heart. What is in your heart? My heart is full to the brim with my husband and my girls. So both of them I have to give to God. This is something I have&nbsp;done over and over and over again. My flesh always wants to return them into my control and my wisdom. But then the Spirit helps me to remember that I am not capable. But in Christ I can do all things. This means that I need to give my decisions, my self-discipline, and my actions up to Him. When we truly do this life goes so much smother. There is no guilt because I know Jesus covers all my sins and already forgave me for this current screw up. I can once again say ok Lord I give them to you, help me make the right choices.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>Amanda Seyerhttps://plus.google.com/104368280830404235093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6553388201961125907.post-47953576297048341152015-10-25T10:35:00.002-07:002015-10-25T10:36:32.767-07:00Self Evaluation... Dun dun dun!!!<div class="MsoNormal">Self-Evaluation<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Ok I need you to imagine the dooms day music in a movie that happens just before something huge happens. Dun dun dun dun….Here it comes… its gona happen… its inevitable!!!!! <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">BOO!!!!<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Oh well that wasn’t so bad after all.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">This is how many of us feel when it comes to self-evaluation. We sometimes view it as low self-esteem or being to self-critical. But really that is just an excuse to not do it. Why are we so turned off by the fact of reviewing our own actions and yet criticizing others comes so easy. Personally I believe there are a few reasons. These same reasons are behind many of our more complicated questions. One is due to our past, broken hearts, lies spoken over us, decisions we have made about who we are ext. The second is that there is a very clear spiritual war going on. The enemy (well my enemy anyway) knows that if we all turned our critical eyes away from others and made it constructive towards ourselves then his job in this war would be so much harder. &nbsp;The last and most common are simply because we are lazy. It’s easier to point out someone else’s errors because we then don’t have to do the work to fix it. I say all this as we and us because I still do not consider myself to have taken hold of this concept 100%. This is why I’m writing about it. The subject has come up in a few studies I’ve been at which causes me to always analyze what the Spirit is trying to do in the church as a whole. (This is so I can intercede, another blog all together)<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Christian or not you should always be looking for ways to improve yourself. Those who say they have nothing they can change for the better someone that will be stuck in a very sad place in their life. We should never stop learning be it for our jobs, how to be parents, how to love our spouses, how to drive better, or whatever you do every day. The point is that biblical principles apply to all whether you believe or not. They are laws set forth since the beginning of time by the One True God and there is no escaping it. This is why so many religions have the same opinions on many things. The biblical principle which gives the basis to this post is to work on your issues and try not to focus so much on everyone else’s issues. This topic ties in pretty closely with what I wrote a few weeks ago. But today I want to go more in depth on the idea of constant self-evaluation. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">First off how is this going help me in my daily life? If you are evaluating yourself, often times you see changes you need to make before anyone else notices. Then if it is brought up to you it’s something you have already come to accept and maybe have even looked for solutions. Let me give you an example. Last Sunday one of the things mentioned by our Pastor Gaby was signs of a sleeping heart (you can see the sermon we were discussing here :________________). One of these signs was if you get offensive when a leader gives you constructive criticism.&nbsp; When I heard this I said, “Oh I receive criticism from my leaders well.” And God said, “At church maybe yes, but is this true at your work?” Ugggg and as always he started showing me times that I had gotten offensive with my coordinators and bosses. “Ok Father, I know you don’t show me these things to make me feel bad. So I receive them and I ask you why did I react that way?”&nbsp; We had a nice conversation for a few days about this. I even expressed it at a study that we have on Tuesdays. (Confession is a huge tool towards breaking walls of misunderstanding between your heart and your Spirit). So by Wednesday morning I had in mind some things I needed to change about my methods in the class room and the way I would respond to my bosses in the face of criticism. And low and behold guess what happened Wednesday at 1:30. I got called into a meeting regarding a teaching method I had use. It’s never easy to receive correction but I can tell you that the meeting didn’t hurt because it was a confirmation of all that I had already gone through with God. It was pretty cool because everything that was brought up was things that God had already discussed with me and I had already made decisions on how to change. I received what all they had to say, expressed that I agreed with them and explained how I plan to change it. Lastly I asked for and accepted suggestions, and most of all received their suggestions. Although God spoke into my life this doesn’t mean that he hasn’t put people in my path to do so also. These people have years and years of experience in this field and I should take their experience and let it help me to grow faster.Wow!! How quickly God works in us when we are open to it and when we let him flow. Again I’m not saying I am always so open to Him but this is a huge example of why we should be. So many times I have wrestled with God over silly things and every time I give in and let him take over there is so much less damage done to my heart. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">There are many books written about self evaluation and maybe if you don’t have Christ in your life you may need to read them. I even suggest you do. The world will be a better place if everyone turns there “change for the better” focus upon themselves. But if you do have Christ in your life this means you also have the Holy Spirit. This is a huge advantage that we have over the rest of the world in this subject (and really in any other subject). The Holy Spirit was sent here to be our constant guide and teacher. He is the one that brings these things to my attention without bringing guilt or fear. This is what prevents things like depression and anxiety. When the Spirit shows me something I could do better he does it in love. And I receive it with my identity firmly planted in Christ. I know that in Gods eyes I’m already this pure person that the Spirit is guiding me to be. So I don’t have to feel guilty about how I acted. What I do need to do is repent and work on changing it. I urge you to sit and ask the Spirit what he sees in your heart to work on. If at that time you start feeling sad, guilty, hatred, or any other negative feeling it IS NOT the Spirit that is guiding you and most likely is your soul (which is usually very confused without the Holy Spirit). If this happens, you can say to yourself, “NO I don’t receive these bitter views of myself. I only receive what the Spirit is giving me.” Just wait a few minutes and see what happens. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Now after the Spirit brings you these revelations he never just leaves you there high and dry. He will help you through the process of change. He will remind you on a daily basis of the decisions you made with Him. He is very helpful in that way. I have also found some very helpful tools on how we can work on our character growth which I will be writing about later but for now let’s just focus on focusing on ourselves and not others. (This is talking about the critical change for the better eye not for other purposes.) <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">I left a short list of verses to help you further your biblical knowledge on the subject. There are actually a ton more but I don’t want to overwhelm. If you want more verses on the topic leave &nbsp;a message and I’d be happy to send them to you.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Psalm 32:3-5<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Philipians 2:13<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Psalm 51:1 The whole 51 is an excellent prayer for your daily life.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Psalm 129:23-24<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Mathew 7:3<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Luke 6:41<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">John 14:26, 16:12-15<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Acts1:2<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><br />Amanda Seyerhttps://plus.google.com/104368280830404235093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6553388201961125907.post-64300797902872410422015-10-18T07:15:00.001-07:002015-10-18T07:16:41.963-07:00What I believe.... (what I love)Since I started writing again I knew my blog would be shifting in a bit of a new direction. I don't feel the need to change the name or the site because I feel history is important for any reader. I love to know more about the authors that I am reading so Im going to give my readers the chance to find out who I am.<br /><div>My title for today if you only &nbsp;read the first line would send out some groans for some people. Which is exactly why I'm writing. A lot of times people have felt that saying "What I believe is..." should be followed by lots of arguments about how people should act and think and move and conduct their lives. Its so sad to me that so many in the world can list off a million things that "Christians" believe and many of those things will be filled to the brim with condemnation. Sure I could fill this blog with things I believe are wrong but I don't believe that's what the Bible tells me to do. Plus a lot of them would be things that I'm working on in my own life. Jesus was clear about how we were suppose to live, he made things very black and white most of the time. He didn't beat around the bush. So yes if you say to me Amanda do you think this or that is ok. I will answer you honestly and say yes or no, but this will not change the way I treat you or love you. Last week we heard a sermon on Judas Escargot. I loved the sermon because it expressed so much of what I have always felt when reading the what I consider one of the saddest parts of the life of Jesus. Every time I read about Jesus telling him, "just go." I cry. I was always sure that Jesus was holding out hope until the very last instant that Judas would change his mind. I don't believe that Judas had to turn Jesus in. Jesus had many enemies in high places they could have captured him any time he was ready for them to. Jesus had disappeared on them a couple times but that is because he knew it wasn't time. Three years before he was sold by Judas, Jesus saw the hurt behind the eyes of a man and had faith that His Father could change that hurt. He spoke life and and purpose into the Judases spirit for three whole years. Clearly he also corrected him because correction is a form of love. But he never rejected him or gave up on him. He ate with him and slept next to him. He loved him!!!! He hoped and I believe prayed that Judas would open his heart to the promises God was giving. I don't believe that he constantly berated him, or geared all of his teachings towards the specific sins Judas was committing or would commit.&nbsp;</div><div>Who am I, you may be thinking, to write about such an opinion. And its ok if your thinking that because I also feel the same way. But that is exactly the point. I am no one important to this world. BUT!!!!! To God I am his precious daughter, loved, and cherished. I am the moving, living, breathing, hands, feet, mouth and body of Christ. &nbsp;I have lived what Im writing about. And I can tell you many of the "terrible sinners" I have loved and still love in this way are still living their lives the way they were before I met them. And yes this brings me to tears during my times of intercession with the Spirit. But guess what,&nbsp;many are not. Many saw something new, something loving, something they could relate with in the way I live. And those that are still sinning differently than me I know have a seed planted in their hearts. I know that, even if they bash the followers of Christ or just continue living in ways that Jesus clearly said would kill their spirit, they always know who Christ was and is. They know that they are loved by the one true God! How do I know that you might ask. I know because Jesus used my mouth to speak it into their spirits. This gives me the confidence that at some point they will begin to want to be closer and closer to him.&nbsp;</div><div>I know I haven't quoted much of the bible here and this may all look like a bunch of opinion but at the end of the blog I'm going to post verses that explain what Iv been talking about. I don't feel the need to place a scripture behind each sentence because Id rather you look them up and let the Holy Spirit lead you to your revelation. So if you are at all curious about this topic take a look at the scriptures below and before you start reading speak to the Holy Spirit and ask for his guidance. Ask him to give you revelation. With out revelation the scripture is just another book. Please don't just take it from me. Its so important that you grow in your relationship with God and receive it from Him. This post is just a spark of a flame that I know He is going to cultivate in many hearts.&nbsp;</div><div>This morning as I lay in bed discussing this theme with God I asked him to show where in my life I need to be speaking more life and less condemnation. As usually he asked me a simple question that I couldn't answer. Do your kids know what I love about them? Do they know what you love about who they are? My answer was, I hope so. So I asked my middle child. Shes the early bird and so it was just her and I. I said, "Honey, what does mommy love about you?" Her first answers were her hair, her eyes and her cheeks. This is all true she is amazingly beautiful. But it wasn't the answer I'd hoped for. So, I asked her, "what about you, about who you are, about how you act, what parts of that does mommy love?" She got all shy and couldn't answer. &nbsp;I gave her awhile and tried to explain it in diffrent ways hoping that was why she couldnt answer. She understood the question but nothing came to mind. So I started asking her if mommy loved certain things. For example that she gets completely crazy sometimes and makes us all laugh till we cry. That she has an amazing singing voice and sounds like an angle. That she is creative. Her teachers have told me how driven she is. &nbsp;Clearly her answer to all these things is yes those are things that mommy loves. What do you think my new goal is? Well I want those to be the items at the fore front of her thinking. My youngest is only four yet answered that she loves people and is nice. Both of which are true. With my oldest her answers were more along the point. She said the way I act because I am happy, that I am creative and smart and that I am beautiful. That I'm a leader. Interestingly she also said, "That I love you." wow that one was powerful. Here is &nbsp;a thought for prayer time. Should one of our answers to Father God be, because I love you? Oh the things we can learn from our children.<br />My lesson out of this is that I need to be speaking these things into the life of my middle child. I love how gentle God is with me and my heart. Had this teaching come from anyone else,i may have taken offence. But because it came directly from the heart of my Father I'm excited to make the change.<br /><div>To end this all and to finish the sentence in the title I want to say I believe that Jesus was a man born from a virgin who lived a normal life trying to please God. And he did!!!!!! He was able to live his life without sinning. I believe when he was obedient and got baptized the Holy Spirit entered his life and changed it drastically. I believe He has given me the same chance to have the same Spirit and to change my life drastically. (He actually expects me to do greater things than Him, Yikes!!!) I believe I sin (maybe different than you) and that all of us should be reaching for the goal of perfection. I believe that I love what God loves which includes you and everyone else. I believe I fail miserably in this aspect and that God continues to help me to get closer to my ultimate goal.&nbsp;</div></div><div><br /></div><div>References:<br />John 13:18-30<br />Mathew 24:24<br />Mark 3:13_18<br />Mark 6:6_12<br />Mathew 3:17, 5:43-48<br />Ok this could go on forever but I think ill stop here. Last and not least: John 13:34,35<br /><br /></div><div><br /></div>Amanda Seyerhttps://plus.google.com/104368280830404235093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6553388201961125907.post-20781298256411648552015-10-02T21:15:00.000-07:002015-10-02T21:16:46.274-07:00My Passion<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Most of my readers know that I am christian and love to share of all that God had done in our lives. The day after receiving our Canadian visa denial we went to talk with our pastor at Sozo Church. Our pastors have been used by God many times in our lives over the last couple years and we wanted them to know we were staying and that we were ready to commit 100% to service in the church. Our pastors response &nbsp;was, and with a straight face,"Are you guys OK?" We said,"Yeah, really we are." He said,"OK can I be happy now." We all laughed and said, "Of course. We are!" Although since this happened one week after our going away party I asked if we were gona get a welcome home party, but that never happened.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">From there we were put in charge of what can be considered the welcoming committee at church. We were faithful in this and as the bible says he who is faithful in little will be given a lot. This happened in August last year. During this time God spoke to me a lot about how I can finally put down roots. That Hes not going to move me again for a long while. This brought me a lot of comfort. God also spoke to us about us serving in the church. We have always worked in the church but more and more God was calling us to do more. In the end of October we were asked to be co-pastors in our church. &nbsp;This was the fulfillment of a promise God gave me when I first met Issac. Over 10 years ago God told me that Issac would be a pastor. In those 10 years there were times I forgot the promise and times I didn't believe it. I'm thankful that God is faithful even if we are not and even if at times we don't believe Him. Since last October we have seen God move more powerful than ever before. Mainly because we are growing in what we believe about Him and what He can do. And partly because we are believing more about how he sees us. Our Identity in Christ is something that our pastors have helped us to understand. The Holy Spirit has been pushing us and teaching us and guiding us every day and each day we learn to listen to Him more. &nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9cPeJkkYMjY/Vg8TgGZZ_tI/AAAAAAAABXk/qaIzn3dpPcw/s1600/2015-09-20%2B15.40.56.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9cPeJkkYMjY/Vg8TgGZZ_tI/AAAAAAAABXk/qaIzn3dpPcw/s320/2015-09-20%2B15.40.56.jpg" width="207" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is the poster that was made to help the church members recognize us and know what we are doing in the church. It says, What we do in Sozo is care for the leaders and the congregation which the Holy Spirit has placed us to pastor and serve. It comes from a verse Acts 20:28-29 (check it out).</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nDQGnV5JjJE/Vg8TgHGOKfI/AAAAAAAABXo/h0tH4gk9BO0/s1600/2015-09-21%2B14.16.12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nDQGnV5JjJE/Vg8TgHGOKfI/AAAAAAAABXo/h0tH4gk9BO0/s320/2015-09-21%2B14.16.12.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">These are our pastors and a poster showing our DNA classes. We want all our leaders to not only understand but but be infused with the vision that God has given for Sozo. We love these guys so much and are so thankful to God for placing them on our path.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I received a word one day saying to me that my hands were made for healing. That I didn't make a mistake with my profession (nursing) but that God wanted to use my hands to heal in the church and for Him now. This was such an awesome word for me and came at a time when I had just reread a poem I wrote when I was a nurse back in the states. When I read it I was in tears because I realized it all applied to my current life which has nothing to do with nursing. But I am still caring for people and helping them heal each and every day. Here is the poem and it can sum up where my passion remains.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The Greatest Privilege</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I get pleasure from their smile.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I hurt for their hearts pain.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I give from my healthy body to their broken soul.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Appreciation is the best reward.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">No amount of money can equal someones comfort.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">God has awarded me the greatest honor possible.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">To show his love to the broken.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hearing laughter from one with little reason.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Swells your heart in a way few can understand.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I can only imagine how Jesus felt as he healed the sick completely, heart and body.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Brings me to tears to even try to imagine.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Thank you god for what I consider the greatest privilege.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br />Amanda Seyerhttps://plus.google.com/104368280830404235093noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6553388201961125907.post-38613451450025476652015-09-20T07:36:00.000-07:002015-09-20T07:36:04.787-07:00Organizing my life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As I stated in some of my past blogs my life had been a bit out of control. Not in a bad way just really busy and I wasn't providing the same quality of care in my home. Much of what was going on is that I had all three girls in a dance academy. Don't get me wrong extra activities are good for kids but this is not just any dance school. This place creates professional. They build and train children to know how to have the discipline needed to be a prima ballerina. This is why i had my girls there. Between the three of them I was basically at the dance school every evening between 2-3 hours, &nbsp;was working a second job and fighting each month to be able to pay for them all three. We had next to no time for house work, homework, alone times (time spent with each child alone) much less to go to the park and play. God began to speak to me about the issue explaining to me that it wasn't necessary. He helped me to analyze my reasons for having them there and most of my reasons were based in the fear that they would grow up to make some of the bad decisions I made as a youth. He helped me to see the reason I made those decisions was from a broken heart and a broken family and had nothing to do with the fact that I &nbsp;was not passionate about something. Father God is so amazing like that. I love how he helps me to make decisions based on His reality and not mine. Because many times mine is messed up due to old habits or thought processes. So after fighting with God a bit about the ballet issue I relented and right now I couldn't be happier about His decision. Over the last few weeks I have been making my organizers which I use to always use. After the near miss of moving to Canada all my organizing things got trashed and I just never got around to making more. I hope you enjoy them. I know they are not as crafty as many you will find but I also believe in letting my girls help me a lot with this stuff. And to me having them help makes it even more awesome.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FtIjdczsK98/Vf66ZLP8K_I/AAAAAAAABWs/BOAIFv4Srew/s1600/2015-09-19%2B14.56.42.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FtIjdczsK98/Vf66ZLP8K_I/AAAAAAAABWs/BOAIFv4Srew/s320/2015-09-19%2B14.56.42.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>&nbsp;The above picture is our weekly menu. Its made from part of a Ritz Crackers box covered in scrapbook paper. Then I used cards to leave a space for writing. After placing a couple pretty stickers I put it in a plastic paper cover so that it can be erasable. Each week on Saturday me and my oldest daughter check out my cook books and Pinterest to find what we want to make for school snack (refrigerio) 2 o'clock lunch (comida) and dinner. Usually we don't put breakfast because we know its either cereal, rice or oatmeal. As we write out the menu we keep track of what we need to buy from the store and write it on one of the papers noted below.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VmF896qjFA4/Vf66ZUswMDI/AAAAAAAABW0/pfp88aES_r0/s1600/2015-09-19%2B14.56.55.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VmF896qjFA4/Vf66ZUswMDI/AAAAAAAABW0/pfp88aES_r0/s320/2015-09-19%2B14.56.55.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>&nbsp;I did this only because tacks seem to constantly disappear and the the papers seem to always be falling into the floor. Si I made little pockets on the tack board for the most frequent items. Also this way we can use recycled paper for the shopping list.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A3wBlTxGh3c/Vf66ZQm-5GI/AAAAAAAABWw/Qrr1CHBmINM/s1600/2015-09-19%2B14.57.04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A3wBlTxGh3c/Vf66ZQm-5GI/AAAAAAAABWw/Qrr1CHBmINM/s320/2015-09-19%2B14.57.04.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>&nbsp;This is our chore list. I needed something practical. So I have a list of what we have to finish each day, each week and each month. I have three girls, my husband and a cousin who all live here and help with the chores. This is a way each person who does something can mark it off and that way we are doing what needs to be done and not always the same thing. Again this was made from the other side of the cracker box and was placed in a plastic paper cover so it can be used and reused with a dry erase marker. So far this is working perfectly. I have another small calendar in which I put the girls initials if they help each day with a smile on their faces with out grumbling or fighting. They get 1 peso for each day that they clean in this way. Doesn't sound like much but if they do well all 6 days that's 6x3 each week for Moma.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WIY5znuLpmY/Vf66g46NQFI/AAAAAAAABXE/aeK3yS4GGck/s1600/2015-09-19%2B14.57.25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WIY5znuLpmY/Vf66g46NQFI/AAAAAAAABXE/aeK3yS4GGck/s320/2015-09-19%2B14.57.25.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>And last but certainly not least our calendar. I had an old dry erase board from when we were giving classes at home. Its frame was completely gone and looked pretty rough. I simply placed scrapbook paper around the boarder and covered it in tape in case the marker got on it it could be erased. Then I drew out the weekly and monthly calendar with sharpie. The monthly calendar doesn't have the month or the day numbers. Also we decided to start working on memory verses for the girls. Its something that I have always treasured from my childhood and the verses I learned continue to help me in my life. Each Saturday when I do my menu I also write out the activities for the week on the weekly calendar. It starts at 2 pm because that is when we get home from school.<br /><br />Well thats that folks. My life is a well oiled machine....no te crees, hahahahaha.<br /><div><br /></div>Amanda Seyerhttps://plus.google.com/104368280830404235093noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6553388201961125907.post-50727712251058101712015-09-12T07:26:00.001-07:002015-09-20T06:51:16.153-07:00Is there anybody out there?So I have been away from my blog for a whole year now. I wrote a post last week and obviously very little movement there. But then I went to check my blog feed and I noticed that the majority of the people I follow haven't blogged in 2-4 YEARS!!! Wait what?!?!?!?!?!? How did this happen. Now I have to clear out my blog feed and find where all my buddy bloggers have gone. Also I want to find some new blogger buddies. I now am teaching in a kinder and I know I can find and give all kinds of inspiration in that aspect. Sure my blog will continue to be about life in Mexico because... well... that's where my life is but I since I no longer have to deal with immigration stuff I don't plan on posting much on that. I'm excited to get back to reading Leslie's posts so I can get my kitchen spiced back up again. The last year was pretty chaotic and with very little organization or free time for me to do the things I love such as crafts, cooking and blogging. But this is a new year and I am confident I will be able to get back on the ball here. As proof I'm going to post a pic of my new whiteboard calendar that I made. Attached to each side will be our menu, grocery list and chores charts.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yJ8yioiEfrY/VfQ16v_KO1I/AAAAAAAABVI/zKBK6J56O6M/s1600/2015-09-09%2B18.10.50.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yJ8yioiEfrY/VfQ16v_KO1I/AAAAAAAABVI/zKBK6J56O6M/s320/2015-09-09%2B18.10.50.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Amanda Seyerhttps://plus.google.com/104368280830404235093noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6553388201961125907.post-85091714206949493582015-09-05T06:41:00.005-07:002015-09-20T06:50:43.095-07:00Disappearing act.Oh Blogging world, how I have thought of you over the last year and a half. I have actually written many blogs but none of them have left my head and gone into the keypad. I'm wondering if I'm even still on your feeds or if I have lost all my readers. If so I hope to earn &nbsp;you all back with some new and fresh blogs. My life is wonderful right now and we are very happy in many of the things that are going on.<br /><div>My last blogs were about the process of getting us to Canada. Long story short we quite our jobs, gave away or sold most of our stuff and had arranged for everything else to be given away then our visas got denied. Mine included. It said I didn't have sufficient reason to be going. Which makes no since because I was enrolled in nursing school and had been accepted by the nursing board in Canada. The day we got our envelopes from the immigration office Issac and I were alone and we opened them in the car. We both just kinda sat and looked out our papers a min trying to understand all the mumbo jumbo that they put on them.<br /><div>I finally said, "I think mines denied."&nbsp;</div><div>Issac says, "Me to."&nbsp;</div></div><div>We just looked at each other and traded papers. We read each others papers.&nbsp;</div><div>And I said, "Well that's that. What do we do now?"</div><div>We decided the first thing we wanted to do was to go talk to our pastor and tell him we are staying and we are ready to serve in any way he needed us. Then we needed to figure out the car situation. We had already started to sell it to a friend of mine from work and he had paid us half the money. Lastly we had to find a place to live. Our lease was up and after three years of living on the fourth floor we were ready for something new.&nbsp;</div><div>That's right folks there were not tears and no sadness just a sense of we need to get on a roll here. I was actually relieved. Not sure if you remember in any of my blogs but I was pretty worried about not having any family, about the cold, about how we were going to make it, about not having the church family we finally had. And by now I know all those answers here in Mexico.&nbsp;</div><div>We left from the immigration office with all this on our minds and headed to pick up our girls. They were staying with Issacs cousin who had recently moved to our city. When we got there and told them about the denial Issac uncle didn't believe him. He knows how Issac is always joking. So he looked to me and said Amanda really whats going on.&nbsp;</div><div>"Hes telling the truth. Were not going." I said.</div><div>"But why are you guys smiling and laughing." he asked.&nbsp;</div><div>That's when I realized that we really were happy about the denial. There was a lot to be done but we were glad to get to stay.&nbsp;</div><div>Our cousins were pretty happy to. The reaction of almost everyone one was,"Can I be happy about this?" And our answer was always "Of course. We are!!" Followed by a big hug.&nbsp;</div><div>Our Church pastors and leaders had thrown us a going away party so when we went to tell our pastor we told him we expected a welcome back party. Hahahahahah We actually had a lot of fun with that one.&nbsp;</div><div>God really started putting everything in order for us right away. A friend from church happened to hear a guy needing to rent his house ASAP and cheap so he set us up with him. Went from a small two bedroom apartment on the fourth floor to a three bedroom house. Yeah!!!!! Way less stairs and more space.&nbsp;We now have been in this house for a year and it looks like were on for the next one also. Our friend who was buying the car understood the situation 100% and let us return them money he had paid us and we kept our car. The owner of the girls ballet school who is also a very good friend sent a recommendation to her kids kinder for me to work as an English teacher. I got an email for the job without even knowing. I went in very skeptical but they gave me a great offer and although last year was a year full of learning a lot of new things and growing a lot I now love love love my job. My husband continued teaching private classes but has recently also gotten a job at a call center. And in October of last year we became co-pastors at our church. (thats a blog in itself) Wow I look back at all that and I see how amazing my God is.&nbsp;</div><div>After the denial God brought me to the verses where Abraham was asked to sacrifice Isaac. Abraham made the long trip knowing what it entailed, answered the questions of his child the best he knew how and continued with this crazy plan God had given him even though in his heart it didn't match up with his dreams that he was sure God had given him. Thankfully as he raised the knife God said,"STOP!!" This was how I felt. That God had given me back my Isaac. The funny thing was that without telling anyone about what I was feeling the following weeks were full of people giving me words of knowledge referring to the same verses and the same theme. That's the great thing about being in a church with a prophetic awakening, you never run out of confirmation on something God is telling you.&nbsp;</div><div>This last year was insane to say the least but things are going great and God has assured me of many things. One of which is more time for the things I love; my family, my church, crafts and my blog. So I will be seeing you all more. And I'm looking forward to getting caught up on all your lives also.&nbsp;</div><div>Bye for now, Ill be back soon.&nbsp;</div>Amanda Seyerhttps://plus.google.com/104368280830404235093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6553388201961125907.post-32978152654931800222014-02-05T15:16:00.000-08:002014-02-05T15:16:01.537-08:00The time is upon us.... AHHHHH YEAHHHHHH<div class="MsoNormal">Hello everyone, So this post are for those of you who have asked in the past about specifics about our process. I wrote this a couple weeks ago to give to my friends and family because they were getting anxious to hear more about what was going on. I can remember someone telling me not to make to public what all we were doing during our process just in case. But to be honest I believe that God will not let anything bad come from me sharing what he is doing in our lives. Also I reminded myself of why I have this blog in the first place. I was reading some of my old comments from past blogs about Canada and many people had written of the hope it gave them. That is why I blog and that is why I share. So here is the same email I sent to my friends and family (and to be honest by mistake I sent it to the whole world in thanks to a button on gmail... ahi que pena.) Anyway Im excited to share with you all where we are in our process.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: ES-MX; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">“God, send me anywhere, only go with me. Lay any burden on me, only sustain me. And sever any tie in my heart except the tie that binds my heart to Yours.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: ES-MX;"><br /><span style="background: white;">―</span></span><span style="color: #181818; font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: ES-MX;">&nbsp;</span><span lang="ES-MX"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #666600; font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: ES-MX; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/211925.David_Livingstone">David Livingstone</a></span></span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="ES-MX"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal">That quote was one of my favorites even before I met Issac. As you can imagine it has stuck with me. Many of you have been asking us a lot of questions regarding our plans and some are wondering how you can help. As some of you know this process has been going on over a year with Shawndra helping me with filing paperwork. Various other people helped us out with the fees and such on those applications and papers and we thank you for that. Many of the questions about what is going to happen over the coming months we still can´t answer. What I want to do through this letter is try to share what we do know and what God has shown us is certain in order of importance.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]-->1.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><!--[endif]-->God is with us: If I have learned anything over the last five years is that God is not going to leave us hanging. More than once we have been wondering how we are going to eat dinner the next day and never have we put our kids to bed hungry. (unless they refuse to eat what I cook of course, lol) Although we have paid bills late over the last five years we actually have very little debt and are confident that we will have all paid off before we go.&nbsp; <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]-->2.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><!--[endif]-->God is going to start a church through us. Issac and I both received this revelation during prayer a few months ago and when we came together to talk about it we were both amazed at how clearly God spoke to us both.&nbsp; We have been speaking with our pastor and his wife here trying to prepare ourselves for this exciting adventure. God is moving in our lives in amazing ways through inner healing and closeness with him. Everything that has happened in our lives has lead us to this and we thank all of you who have had an impact in our walk with Christ.&nbsp; The relationship between Issac and I has blossomed into something I never thought possible. Mind you Issac and I have always been in love and had a strong bond but God is truly showing us the meaning of his Joy. As excited as I am about school and getting back into a country where nursing will feel more like home I am more excited about the mission. This revelation about the mission came to us right around the same time I got my notification that I was accepted into the Bridge to Canadian Nursing program. I being the Amanda you all know and love began freaking out a bit about what all needed to be done and how impossible it all looks. I thought of course this is why I love organization, why I know Lean, why I love to structure things. &nbsp;Oddly enough the thought of having a mission on top of the school thing made me stress a bit more. Why you may wonder well if we were going only for my career it wouldn’t be so stressful because, well, we are happy here. So if we screw it up and can’t go…. No biggy we have figured out how to make it down here and have tons of loved ones who are going to be hard to leave.&nbsp; But now, God… The Big Guy…. My Creator… My Savior is calling me to go and do his work. Ok so this means I have to do everything right to get this done… that I have to plan it out to the T… that I need to be sure that everything works out and is ready when we get there…RIGHT?<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto;">Thankfully God said NO WAY. (I literally just took a deep breath when I wrote that.)&nbsp; During every devotional, prayer time, quiet time ext. God had been telling me No Way and I was trying to listen. My head was saying I wasn’t worried but my heart was going nuts. And I’m pretty sure I was keeping it hid from everyone except God and Issac.&nbsp; Then a few weeks ago at church during the worship session God was saying to me, “Amanda please stop worrying, I’ve got this. I need you to let me continue your preparation to be a leader, and to open a new place for me to reach my people.” I of course was like, “Gees God, I know …” But really I still didn’t and He knew that. &nbsp;After the sermon ended and we were in worship again a man who doesn’t know us and knew nothing of Canada grabbed me by the shoulders and said, “Sra. (miss), God wants to tell you that he has a big change coming for you… I think it’s a change of residence or address… I’m not really sure, and also job opportunities. But He wants to tell you he has it under control. You shouldn’t be worrying about the details.” At the moment I was in a bit of shock and could do nothing but thank him. Issac heard what he said and immediately started laughing and gave me a hug.&nbsp; After church Issac told me that when that man gave me that message that Issac felt God was saying to him we needed to be preparing ourselves for the church plant and not for immigration.&nbsp; (I have been amazed at how God has been speaking to Issac and I with the same messages) So within a couple hours God gave me the same message three times and finally it sunk in. I can truly say that my heart is at peace and that I know that he is going to supply all the details. &nbsp;God knows when you need a smack over the head and apparently that’s what I needed. So for the last few weeks I have been focusing on reading, praying, and just loving God. Please pray for Issac and I that we can continue to move closer and closer to God and continue to be on his frequency. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]-->3.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><!--[endif]-->The next fact that is that I have a <span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">required student orientation that is in AUGUST</span> and I start classes this coming October so my family needs to be in Canada and somewhat settled before then. &nbsp;AHHHHHH so excited to be a student again!!!!!!!<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]-->4.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><!--[endif]-->Our family easily qualifies for the visas. And Alana will actually be ahead of her classmates when we get there so there is nothing to worry about if she has to skip a month or so of school during the move. &nbsp;More so because she’s receiving all A´s this year in school, sorry had to through that in there, I’m soooooo proud of her. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]-->5.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><!--[endif]-->&nbsp;<span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">I need to send the application for my student visa in April so that it is processed in time for me to start classes</span>. This visa automatically gives Issac an open work permit (which means he can apply for any job just like a resident) and the girls’ temporary residency (which gives them permission to go to school).<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]-->6.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><!--[endif]-->Due to me going to this nursing process the immigration process is going to be fairly smooth. &nbsp;But we don’t have the following requisites:<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 53.4pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]-->A.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><!--[endif]-->One requisite we do not have are the girls’ passports. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 53.4pt; mso-add-space: auto;">Each passport will cost us $120 US dollars including shipping fees. The total is $360 US dollars.&nbsp;<b><span style="color: magenta;">The need for this has been provided and we have ordered our passports they should be here within 3 weeks. YEahhhhh Praise God for his provisions!!!!!!</span></b><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 53.4pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]-->B.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><!--[endif]-->The other requisite is that we have to prove to the immigration department that we have enough money to provide for our family during the year of school. The plan is that when we get there Issac will quickly get a job and provide for us during the year. &nbsp;An acquaintance, who is an immigration consult, told me that Issac has an excellent profile and will have no problems finding a job. But that doesn’t help when applying. &nbsp;The amount we have to prove to immigration that we can access is $37,000 Canadian dollars or a person or company&nbsp; that will provide a certain amount every month during the year which is $3,000 Canadian dollars per month.&nbsp; It sounds like a lot when you see it all together like this so I am going to break it down for you. Really its not over the top.&nbsp; This amount includes:<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 89.4pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]-->a.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><!--[endif]-->Schooling (including books)- $14,000 <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 89.4pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]-->b.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><!--[endif]-->Living expenses for the applicant (me)- $10,000<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 89.4pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]-->c.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><!--[endif]-->Living expenses&nbsp; for the spouse (issac)- $4,000<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 89.4pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]-->d.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><!--[endif]-->Living expenses for each dependent- $3,000 each one = $9,000<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 89.4pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;">The idea is that we can get this money as loans or donations and the loans would be paid back within a year or so. Because by then Issac will have his income and within one year when I'm out of school I will also be working.&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]-->C.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><!--[endif]-->As far as money for the move we are going to sell all our stuff to pay for the tickets and such. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]-->D.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><!--[endif]-->Because we are going to show up the whole family together we are going to need somewhere to stay when we get there until we can find housing and such, unless God provides us with that before leaving. Other things we will need are Issacs job, babysitting and Alanas school again not sure if God is going to enlighten us with his plans for these things before or after we go. A few of our friends have friends who live in or near Calgary and we are convinced that God is going to set all that up without much effort on our part.&nbsp; <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">The main thing we are asking of our friends and families is prayer and support. Please pray that we continue to listen and keep our attention on God and on his ministry. As far as all the needs we stated above we don’t need prayer that God will provide them because he has already told us he would. We wish for all to pray prayers of thanksgiving that God is moving in hearts and spirits and that those people respond to his calling. We are so very thankful that God has called us to this change and are excited about what he is going to do in our lives and the lives of the girls. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">If you feel led to donate or to loan us any of the necessities we stated above you can contact me or you can &nbsp;click the Donate to Canada button. It’s a paypal account that is in Shawndras name (my younger sister who has helped me out through everything).&nbsp; We did it that way so that we don’t have to pay fees to change the money from us dollars to pesos then to Canadian dollars. This way there will only be one money exchange fee.&nbsp; For immigration we will only need to prove that we have access to the account. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Thank you all so much for your love and prayers. Issac and I are overwhelmingly blessed by people who love us and who love our girls. We could never thank God enough for the amount of love he has put into our lives. Thanks so much for believing in us and always supporting our decisions as crazy as they may sound at times. ;)<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">I plan on writing a longer blog about our new ministry to be honest its what we are most excited about and since I originally wrote this letter God has reveled more and more about His purpose.&nbsp;</div><br /><div class="MsoNormal">Amanda, Issac, Alana, Joslin and Lilian<o:p></o:p></div>Amanda Seyerhttps://plus.google.com/104368280830404235093noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6553388201961125907.post-70126959288356524322013-11-25T06:16:00.001-08:002013-11-25T06:16:34.868-08:00The Chicken or the EggThat is my current question, and isnt the first time either. Im going to go back over a year ago in June of 2012. Wow that seems like forever ago. I wrote a blog about the reasons I felt it was necessary to move from Mexico to Canada.&nbsp;<a href="http://bordersaside.blogspot.mx/2012/06/cold-hard-truth-and-dream.html" target="_blank">http://bordersaside.blogspot.mx/2012/06/cold-hard-truth-and-dream.html</a><div>Suprisingly after reading this blog post I feel the same today. I love Mexico but God is surely pushing us toward Canada.&nbsp;</div><div>Then again in June I posted this&nbsp;<a href="http://bordersaside.blogspot.mx/2012/06/taking-it-few-steps-at-time.html" target="_blank">http://bordersaside.blogspot.mx/2012/06/taking-it-few-steps-at-time.html</a>. And again still today we are doing the step by step thing. Taking the process as it comes, not looking behind nor to far ahead.&nbsp;</div><div>The follwoing month in July of 2012 I posted this&nbsp;<a href="http://bordersaside.blogspot.mx/2012/07/asking-for-and-accepting-help.html" target="_blank">http://bordersaside.blogspot.mx/2012/07/asking-for-and-accepting-help.html</a>&nbsp;Basically saying if anyone wanted to help with our fees and such &nbsp;there is a Donate button. A huge change in what immigraiton process we will be doing has occured which I will explain in a bit but the need for assistance for fees hasnt. Button is still there hint hint. hahahah ;)</div><div>After almost 6 months of not hearing much from me about Canada I posted this&nbsp;<a href="http://bordersaside.blogspot.mx/2013/02/clearing-air-about-canada.html" target="_blank">http://bordersaside.blogspot.mx/2013/02/clearing-air-about-canada.html</a>&nbsp;Which was my acceptance letter from the Canadian board of Nursing saying I could take the test. I was excited and scared to death at the same time.&nbsp;</div><div>Well what happened next you may be wanting to know... if not dont read on.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Well in April of this year I recived an email that almost shook me up. (Had God not been constanly reasuring me that this was his path I would have given up on the idea all together.)</div><div><br /></div><div>Here is what the email said:</div><div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="il">CARNA</span>&nbsp;previously referred you to a Substantially Equivalent Competence (SEC) assessment with Mount Royal University (MRU) at one of their Internationally Educated Nurse (IEN) assessment centres in Edmonton or Calgary.<u></u><u></u></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Recently,&nbsp;<strong>MRU&nbsp;confirmed that it is no longer accepting bookings and that both Alberta IEN assessment centres will be closed as of June 30, 2013.</strong><u></u><u></u></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">We are sorry that at this time it is not clear how this will impact your application for registration with<span class="il">CARNA</span>. We understand that becoming a nurse in Alberta is important to you, and that you may be worried about how this will affect your application or feel frustrated by this uncertainty.<u></u><u></u></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="il">CARNA</span>&nbsp;is also very concerned by the loss of SEC assessment services in Alberta and how the closure affects applicants like you. We are working with the Alberta government to address this serious situation as quickly as possible.<u></u><u></u></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">We will keep you informed by email as we receive more information.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;">Well they held true to their word and have kept me well informed and have stayed in contact. This last September they notified me that they would be accepting the exam from other providences. But that they &nbsp;now had a new option which as they said in their email was to:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white;">&nbsp;</span><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Skip the step of SEC assessment and<u></u><u></u></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 9pt;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><u></u><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></span><u></u><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Complete the full Bridging education program satisfactory to the Registrar.<u></u><u></u></span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 9pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Bridging education, which includes theory and skills lab courses and a supervised clinical experience will provide you with opportunities to learn about nursing in Canada and help you acquire the knowledge and skills needed for practice in the Canadian health care system.&nbsp; Mount Royal University (MRU) in Calgary, Alberta offers a full Bridging program in nursing</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 9pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">So I chose the bridge program. I have been informed that I&nbsp;</span><span style="background-color: white;">&nbsp;</span><span style="background-color: white;">have been conditionally accepted pending the arrival of my language requirement, which CARNA has assured me is on its way to the university.&nbsp;</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 9pt;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>So why the Chicken or the egg question???????</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 9pt;">Our current plan is for all of us to go to Canada when I go for school. The Canadian immigration system allows the spouse of a student visa holder to get an automatic work permit and the children can go and enter the school system. It all sounds pretty strait forward and the only thing we are seeing that may be a complication is highlited in yellow. .&nbsp;</div><h2 style="color: #a50000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 1em 0px;">Who is eligible to study in Canada?</h2><div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">These requirements apply to&nbsp;<strong>everyone</strong>&nbsp;who wishes to study in Canada, whether or not you need a study permit. To study in Canada, you must:</div><ul style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><li>Have been accepted to a school, college, university or other educational institution in Canada,</li><li>Have proof that you have enough money to pay for your:<br /><br /><ul style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><li>tuition fees,</li><li><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">living expenses for yourself and any family members (spouse or common-law partner and/or dependent children) who come with you to Canada (According to Citizenship and Immigration Canada guidelines in addition to the cost of tuition fees, you will require approximately $10 000 per year to cover your living expenses. If your dependants are planning to accompany or join you, you will require an additional $4 000 for the first dependant, and $3 000 for each subsequent dependant), and</span></li><li>return transportation for yourself and any family members who come with you to Canada.</li></ul></li><li>Be a law-abiding citizen with no criminal record and not be a risk to the security of Canada,</li><li>Be in good health and willing to complete a medical examination, if necessary, and</li><li>Satisfy an immigration officer that you will leave Canada when you have completed your studies.</li></ul><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 9pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 9pt;">The thing is we are planning on Issac working and acourding to these amounts and how much the school costs we can make it if he can get a job making at least 3,000 a month. But here is the chicken or egg situation.&nbsp;<b>Right now we cant prove we have this income in order to get the visa until he gets a job offer. But will they give him the job offer without the visa?</b>&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 9pt;">This is our&nbsp;next step... Any sugestions, or even better anyone close to Calgary area want to give my hubby a job offer????</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 9pt;">In all seriousness what we need most from our loved ones at this point is prayer for guidance and prayers of thanksgiving for the things God is going to do in order to flatten this speed bump or help us over it.&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 9pt;">Thanks for keeping up with our journey through life. I love sharing with you all and most of all I love getting your feed back. Please give me your ideas, comments, ext.&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div></div>Amanda Seyerhttps://plus.google.com/104368280830404235093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6553388201961125907.post-51161944674782655912013-10-12T08:50:00.000-07:002013-10-12T08:51:23.480-07:00Gluten Free LifeAfter a life of digestive issues a resident physician from our hospital decided he thought I should try to cut gluten out of my diet. He suggested studies and what not but at the point I was talking to him I was so fed up with tests and exams that I refused. He was great with me really. I was at the point of tears at work and was asking around for a naturalist who could help me. As we were talking he was suggesting all the normal stuff that Iv had over and over throughout the years. When I said to him, "look I'm not trying to be rude and I appreciate your help but Iv had IBS since I was like 8 years old, as a kid the doctors all said I was faking it or that it was PMS and as an adult they enjoyed sticking tubes in me and finding nothing. I'm pretty much done with you guys at this point." He took it in stride and reminded me of a very important medical point. IBS is caused by stress and children at the age of 8 usually dont have the amount of stress to cause it. He said, "I can tell your fed up so I suggest you investigate Crones and gluten allergies and change your diet. See what happens." He also gave me a medication that basically lays a coat over your entire digestive track in order to help the healing process.<br /><div>That was almost three months ago. Almost immediately I had more energy, could think clearer, and NO DIGESTIVE PROBLEMS. I was very surprised to find that the brain fog and extreme sleepiness had nothing to do with stress or my history of being a not so great teenager. These are things I have delt with since I was a kid. One of my sisters recently joked about how I could fall asleep at any time and any place. Now I realize in reality it was from having a life of malnutrition. Basically if you are constantly irritating your digestive system with something that damages it you can not receive the nutrients your need from your food. If you struggle with digestive issues please look into different diet and eating styles and not just medication. I cant express enough how much this has changed my life. I feel like a new person. Mind you I'm still a klutz and forgetful as all get out but I don't have to drag myself up the stairs to my house each day after work (I skip up them) and I don't HAVE TO take a nap each day, now its only if I want to and more of a power nap and I actually feel good afterwards and not worse. Oh and I also droped 5kilos in the first couple weeks of the diet and didnt really even feel like I was dieting. I recently lost 2 more and again dont feel like Im dieting. Im currently at my highschool size.... crazy!!!!<br /><div>&nbsp;Well Iv had a couple mishaps and am learning and experimenting with my level of sensitivity. For example there is a preservative that has gluten in it, some foods have more than others and because the Ingredients on foods don't have amounts sometimes its a coin toss. Of course its a good idea to avoid it all together but I'm trying to figure out my sensitivity. For example chicken broth and Zuco both make me sick but eating Frijoles chips doesn't. Although here in Mexico you can live quite happy with things made of corn I missed bread. So I started looking for gluten free recipes. There are a ton out ther but if you are in Mexico and are broke buying all the glutten free flour is not an option. All of this to say after many trials with different bread recipes I have finally found one that works in my bread machine. Let me warn you I had to do a lot of tweaking and if you are not in Mexico you may need to tweak this also. Altitude makes a huge difference in recipes. &nbsp;Also one problem we have found is the storage of the bread. I use to make home made yeast bread with regular flour and never had this issue. The oatmeal breat always perfect the first day but would start breaking down and getting gooey in just one day if we put it in a plastic bag for storage. If we leave it out completely it gets stale. Right now we just make sure we eat it within a couple days while we find the best method. My most recent effort was to slice it right away and put it back into the bread machine. This worked pretty good. It went three days and on the fourth it started breaking down a bit. I decided the next trial will be wrapping it in a tortilla napkin and putting it in the fridge. Ill let you know how it goes and if you have any suggestions or experience with this let me know. Here it is folks, in this pic it looks a little dry but actually it sticks together nicely and I can even make sandwiches with it.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nx-44N7P2Kg/Ullq87-1vzI/AAAAAAAABHU/9YoAzFqMfTw/s1600/2013-08-28+22.49.13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nx-44N7P2Kg/Ullq87-1vzI/AAAAAAAABHU/9YoAzFqMfTw/s320/2013-08-28+22.49.13.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pZPWtHcG-i8/Ullq8uKbAYI/AAAAAAAABHQ/DlyJkLO1e1E/s1600/2013-10-06+09.06.07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pZPWtHcG-i8/Ullq8uKbAYI/AAAAAAAABHQ/DlyJkLO1e1E/s320/2013-10-06+09.06.07.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">1 lg egg</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">1/2 cup milk</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">1/2 cup water</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">1 tsp honey (sometimes I add a little more)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">1 Tbs butter</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">1/4 tsp salt</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">2 cups oatmeal flour (all i do is grind up oats in our coffee grinder)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">1/2 cup whole oats</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">1 tsp instant yeast</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Using the bread machine you always put the liquid in first and make sure its at least room temp. You then pile up all the dry material and make a little hole in the top so it look like a volcano. Last you put the yeast in the volcano.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">In a couple hours Enjoy! Ok now I gotta go make another loaf. Iv been making at least 2 a week. lol</div></div></div>Amanda Seyerhttps://plus.google.com/104368280830404235093noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6553388201961125907.post-26488397397701011102013-08-31T08:53:00.000-07:002013-08-31T08:53:15.485-07:00Oh That..whatever.Oh yes readers I am posting after only a one month laps. Is this a come back? I don't know. lol<br /><br />So in my last post I mentioned that there were many things that use to bother me and no longer do. Now when its mentioned I think "oh that.. whatever". I must say there are still many things that get under my skin but just from being on facebook I see that would be the same if I were living in the states. And maybe even worse.<br />Something that use to really get to me was when Mexicans would speak in Spanish "like a gringa". If you haven't ever heard it you wont get this, but those who have well, you know what I'm talking about. Basically the draw out the words and don't put the accents in the right place and they say the r like errr instead of rolling it. For a long time (were talking years here) I felt like they were making fun of me. Then one day I decided to spend some time with the Abuela and sat down to watch one of her old black and white films. Every single white person in the movie spoke like that, and it was hilarious. They were always some rich dude coming to take advantage of the Mexicans. I found myself laughing so hard at the movie and it was one of those days that I really connected with Abuela. After that I realized they were not making fun of me but more so laughing at an age old joke that came from the films. Many of my family members here have expressed the respect they have for me for being able to learn and communicate in Spanish and the same family members will do gringa speak at me. Writing about this gives me a since of peace and happiness that I cant really express on paper. So many times we get offended or hurt when we don't really understand the intentions behind an action. I was letting something upset me when really my family was trying to let me in on a type of inside joke. They think its hilarious when I do gringa speak.<br />As I'm sure many of you know the Time Space Continuum actually slows down in Mexico. When someone invites you to a party at 2pm you should plan on going at 3, they are not expecting you at 2. &nbsp;This also extends into the workplace. If a meeting is at 10am do not show up at 945 because you will be waiting at the least 30 min before the meeting starts. I wasted many precious hours this way my first year or so. I have adjusted well, I'm still responsible in the fact that I always show up a little early or at the least right on time, but I also always bring with me something to do while I wait. Therefore I don't get disgruntled about my time being waisted and I don't have to feel anxious about being late. Oh and as for the parties depending on if its someone who knows me well I ask if the time they gave me was Mexican time. I always ask because we showed up after the time on the invitation once and the person told me they had put the actually time only on my invitation because they knew I always show up when its stated on the invitation. hahahaha That memory still makes me laugh really hard. And on the flip side once we invited some friends from work over for a barbq and put 2pm thinking they wouldn't show up till 3. When they showed up we were not ready and I actually mentioned I had planned on them being late. My friends fiance told me she rushed them out of the house saying that I was American and would expect them to be on time. To be honest I'm sitting here laughing really hard as I write this because I love the quirkiness of what my life has become.<br /><br />Noise... ahhhh the noise. So I remember being in the states and being like what is the deal with all the hooting and horrible singing as loud as you possible can and laughing so loud the whole freaking world can hear you. Now after countless Christmas parties, weddings, holidays, birthdays ext. I love it. Its really fun to just let loose and let out a typical Mexican yelp or to sing even if you don't have a beautiful voice. Its funny just yesterday there was a party going on at 5pm next door to my house and they were all Aheee Aheee Aheee Aheee... (not sure if that's how you would spell it but you know when they are dancing and someone gets in the middle of the circle to do some funky move) and hearing it made me want to dance and spin around. These people really know how to have fun. It makes you feel like a kid again.<br />Speaking of the noise something else that doesn't bother me any more and actually I hardly notice is all the gas trucks, bread vendors, junk vendors, water vendors, the sweet potatoes whistle at 9pm... on and on and on that drive up and down the street all day and evening. I remember when I first moved here being like, gees how can these people stand that crap. And why don't they just call the companies when they want something. But there has been plenty of times when we are out of water or itching for some sweetbread where the truck happens to roll around and I'm like man I'm glad they are so loud so I knew they were coming.<br /><br />So what have you adjusted to, or are hoping to adjust to?<br /><br /><br /><br />Amanda Seyerhttps://plus.google.com/104368280830404235093noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6553388201961125907.post-74130662487181603572013-07-26T06:46:00.000-07:002013-07-26T06:47:32.261-07:00Almost a MexicanUhggg...(Im writing on my work computer which has the spellchecker in Spanish... so good luck hope you can translate bad spelling and grammer. hahaha) so I always feel so bad when I go to write a post and realize its been a few months since my last one. The good thing is I constantly have new readers and some of the old stuff I put up before is still giving good therapy to those who need it. That was of course the original point of this blog. To help out people who were hurting or confused. My heart breaks for all you mommys, papis, wifes, husbands, and children out there who are not together as a unit. Or who are together and are in the weird state right before or after the big more out of &nbsp;or into a new country. Or those who are still not sure what to do to keep there families together. There are so many stressfull stages to the whole stupid immigration game but when we decided to spend our lives with that one special person its something we agreed to. So cheers to all you ladies and men of steal. Keep on keepen on. You can do this and you will come out shining on the other side.<br /><br />Why am I so sure of that you may wonder. Well I made it and Im a small town girl from Missour for goodness sakes. I came to Mexico and left much behind (you can read past blogs to find out what) in order to keep my family together and to be with a man who has been more of a blessing to me than I ever thought possible. When I came here 5 years ago... (Oh yes crappy blogger didnt even post a 5 year anniversery blog, it was June 29th). I knew no Spanish... wwhhhewww glad that stage is over. I knew nothing about Mexican culture... I actually got ofended by things that now make me laugh histarically. I was almost always uncomfortable... for the first time in my life I was not sefl confident. Since those days... and they were long and sometimes dark... I have grown in &nbsp;my walk with Christ, as a women, as mother, as a wife, and as a friend. I am a better person than I would have ever been had I stayed in the states. My mind is opened to so many things that would have never made any sense to me before. I may still have a weak gringa stomach but by golly my skin sure is tougher.<br /><br />So in June I went and picked up my official Perminant Resident Card. Oh yes its a real card not some laminated crap and its official. Im Perminant. What that means is no more renewing or paying every year. It also means I can get more benifits such as cheaper schooling and such. (which is still in the plans but were broke and cant afford the freaking translation of my transcripts, all in good time). I didnt even have a party. I think we still need to plan that one. On the day of my 5 year Mexico anniversery I was actually in the US at a wedding for a couple of the best friends we have down here in Mexico.<br /><br />About the perminant resident busness it took me a long time to get here but the laws have changed. Aparently if you are married to a Mexican you should be able to just bring in you marriage lic (if from the states appostleed and translated.), birth cirts and ID´s and can apply right off the bat. It costs close to 400usd. Which is nothing compaired to almost 200 every year for four years. I have heard of a few people having trouble getting this done and others who got it done right away. Here is the thing about the immigration system here in Mexico... well the government realy. They make changes for the better and it takes people and offices a while to get on the wagon. Im not sure why its ok and why it happens but its true. So if the office closest to you gives you trouble it may be a good idea to take a weekend to trip to the next closest one and see how things go. Just always have more than one copy of every document you have. Here is there website which clearly states that this process is now faster and can be done without an FM2 or waiting for 2 years. I would also recomend printing pages from the website to show at the office when you go. Im gona post here the link to the website the part thats in English is extreamly limited so if you dont read spanish well find someone that does to help you. &nbsp;Again if I were you I would make print outs of the scren shots so if the office gives you trouble you can show them you got it off their site.<br />Home page:<br /><a href="http://www.inm.gob.mx/">http://www.inm.gob.mx/</a><br /><br />For those who have family who are mexican, click on the second pdf, Im gona try to attach it to this post.<br /><a href="http://www.inm.gob.mx/index.php/page/Regularizacion_LM">http://www.inm.gob.mx/index.php/page/Regularizacion_LM</a><br /><br />Heres the link for the pdf. ( when it talks about the payments you have to go to the office to get a paper that has all the info. all you do is put your name and personal data and go to a bank and pay it, make a few copies of the recipt when your done.)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.inm.gob.mx/static/Tramites_LM/Estancia_LM/Regularizacion_LM/Regularizacion_por_unidad_familiar.pdf">http://www.inm.gob.mx/static/Tramites_LM/Estancia_LM/Regularizacion_LM/Regularizacion_por_unidad_familiar.pdf</a><br /><br />I think thats all for today I hope you all have a great day and Im sending hugs to all of you who need them.<br /><br />From the Almost Mexican. <br /><br /><br />Amanda Seyerhttps://plus.google.com/104368280830404235093noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6553388201961125907.post-14994956383779071652013-03-24T15:51:00.000-07:002013-03-24T15:52:31.151-07:00Entering the age of friends and sleepoversOver the past few months we have been blessed to get to know a few more families who have kids the age of our girls. Awhile back I started doing English Playdate with one of my students children. They have been close aquantainces for over a year but thanks to these classes are even closer now. Then another student who actually works with me in the hospital started bringing her kids to the play date. And our pastor has three little girls who are the same age as my youngest two.<br /><br />This has been a whole new experience for me as a mommy.<br /><br />I always loved having a ton of kids around all the time growing up and knew someday I wanted to give my girls the same experience. I have three sisters and one brother and we basically all were allowed to invite a friend or two over on the weekends. You can only imagine our house when we all did, and it did happen. Last weekend we got our first taste of having friends over who had kids and it was a blast. They have three boys, 13, 6, and 2. Seriously the cutest little boys ever and really good kids as well. We put our brand new kiddy pool up on the roof (any of you not from Mexico roofs here are just flat and most of them have&nbsp;barriers&nbsp;or walls so you cant fall off). Us parents grilled, drank a few beers and just hung out while the kids had a blast in the pool. Then this weekend we baby sat for the couple that has three little girls (4yr old, and twins that are 2). They stayed the night and it was so fun to watch them all play. They did great and Issac and I were not as wore out as everyone expected. Actually it didnt seem like that much more work. Thankfully my hubby is an awesome papi and helped me out a lot, I was far from alone with the six kids. And now next weekend my girls are going to stay the night with the other couple who has an 7 yr old girl and a 6 year old boy. Seems to me that we have entered into a new phase of parenting. I mean my girls have stayed whole weeks with grandma, nights with our good friends but they are like an Aunt and Uncle to them, and even once with the same friends where they are going next weekend, but still I feel like this is going to be happening more often. Im actually good with it as long as my husband keeps up the awesomeness that is him. We actually make a great team and I love when that is put to work. Plus this means sending our kids for sleepovers and rest time or date night for us.<br /><br />Funny thing is I feel like all this is so "normal." Why is that funny you might ask. Well even after five years and feeling that I have reached the "official acceptance phase." of my so called culture shock, I still have my moments. Just last week I drove home crying over the fact that a coworker basically had to slap me in the face to get me to accept something that is just so deep in the culture here that its not changing tomorrow or in the next few years for that matter. (the coworker was being helpful but it was a hard blow for me.) Anyway the point is after going through those random reminders that&nbsp;I'm&nbsp;not where I grew up and that things and people are way different here, its nice to be reminded that some things are still "normal."<br /><br />Three cheers from good friends, spring, and changes.<br /><br />How about any of you parents out there, do you agree that this is sort of a new phase in our lives as parents. I think another point to add is that the baby is now potty trained so life is already a lot different and smother. Hope to hear from you, I am really trying to do better on my blogging and now that I gave up a lot of my teaching hours to my hubby I will be able to do just that. So those who were dedicated followers before I hope I&nbsp;didn't&nbsp;lose you and those who are new please stay tuned.Amanda Seyerhttps://plus.google.com/104368280830404235093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6553388201961125907.post-4718478249841446652013-03-14T20:32:00.001-07:002013-03-14T20:32:07.916-07:00A fish out of waterSo I was recently teaching one of my English students and we are doing a lesson called fish out of water. She read an article to me out loud and then we discussed it. She then asked me about my experience moving to Mexico. It was the first time in a while that I had thought about it. The article talks about phases. I wanted to post the article and say thanks to all you bloggers out there who were there for me during the&nbsp;regression&nbsp;stage. My student asked if I cried a lot during that stage and I said yes, but I also laughed a lot to. I was still happy to be here with my husband and my friends online were an excellent&nbsp;outlet&nbsp; I especially want to thank Leslie from&nbsp;<a href="http://www.lacocinadeleslie.com/">http://www.lacocinadeleslie.com/</a>. You helped me move from the regression to acceptance phase. Thank you for helping me see the light and helping me to see the good in Mexico and remember that everything back home&nbsp;wasn't&nbsp;perfect. &nbsp;Here is the article its actually quiet interesting, I would love to hear some of your experiences in the different phases. I can say Im a citizen of the world. (yes I know that sounds cheesy but after reading the article&nbsp;you'll&nbsp;get it. lol)<br /><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Culture Shock: A Fish Out Of Water</span></i><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"> by Duncan Mason<br /><br />Introduction:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 36pt;"><b><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">1.</span></b><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"> Kalvero Oberg was one of the first writers to identify five distinct stages of culture shock. He found that all human beings experience the same feelings when they travel to or live in a different country or culture. He found that culture shock is almost like a disease: it has a cause, symptoms, and a cure. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Body:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 36pt;"><b><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">2.</span></b><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"> Whenever someone travels overseas they are like "a fish out of water." Like the fish, they have been swimming in their own culture all their lives. A fish doesn't know what water is. Likewise, we often do not think too much about the culture we are raised in. Our culture helps to shape our identity. Many of the cues of interpersonal communication (body language, words, facial expressions, tone of voice, idioms, slang) are different in different cultures. One of the reasons that we feel like a fish out of water when we enter a new culture, is that we do not know all of the cues that are used in the new culture.<br /><br /><b>3.</b> Psychologists tell us that there are five distinct phases (or stages) of culture shock. It is important to understand that culture shock happens to all people who travel abroad, but some people have much stronger reactions than others.<br /><br /><b>4.</b> During the first few days of a person's stay in a new country, everything usually goes fairly smoothly. The newcomer is excited about being in a new place where there are new sights and sounds, new smells and tastes. The newcomer may have some problems, but usually accepts them as just part of the newness. They may find themselves staying in hotels or be with a homestay family that is excited to meet the foreign stranger. The newcomer may find that "the red carpet" has been rolled out and they may be taken to restaurants, movies and tours of the sights. The new acquaintances may want to take the newcomer out to many places and "show them off." This first stage of culture shock is called the "honeymoon phase."<br /><br /><b>5.</b> Unfortunately, this honeymoon phase often comes to an end fairly soon. The newcomer has to deal with transportation problems (buses that don't come on time), shopping problems (can't buy favorite foods) or communication problems (just what does "Chill out, dude." mean?). It may start to seem like people no longer care about your problems. They may help, but they don't seem to understand your concern over what they see as small problems. You might even start to think that the people in the host country don't like foreigners.<br /><br /><b>6.</b> This may lead to the second stage of culture shock, known as the "rejection phase." The newcomer may begin to feel aggressive and start to complain about the host culture/country. However, it is important to recognize that these feelings are real and can become serious. This phase is a kind of crisis in the 'disease' of culture shock. It is called the "rejection" phase because it is at this point that the newcomer starts to reject the host country, complaining about and noticing only the bad things that bother them. At this stage the newcomer either gets stronger and stays, or gets weaker and goes home (physically, or only mentally).<br /><br /><b>7.</b> If you don't survive stage two successfully, you may find yourself moving into stage three: the "regression phase." The word "regression" means moving backward, and in this phase of culture shock, you spend much of your time speaking your own language, watching videos from your home country, eating food from home. You may also notice that you are moving around campus or around town with a group of students who speak your own language. You may spend most of this time complaining about the host country/culture.<br /><br /><b>8.</b> Also in the regression phase, you may only remember the good things about your home country. Your homeland may suddenly seem marvelously wonderful; all the difficulties that you had there are forgotten and you may find yourself wondering why you ever left (hint: you left to learn English!). You may now only remember your home country as a wonderful place in which nothing ever went wrong for you. Of course, this is not true, but an illusion created by your culture shock 'disease.'<br /><br /><b>9.</b> If you survive the third stage successfully (or miss it completely) you will move into the fourth stage of culture shock called the "recovery phase" or the "at-ease-at-last phase." In this stage you become more comfortable with the language and you also feel more comfortable with the customs of the host country. You can now move around without a feeling of anxiety. You still have problems with some of the social cues and you may still not understand everything people say (especially idioms). However, you are now 90% adjusted to the new culture and you start to realize that no country is that much better than another - it is just different lifestyles and different ways to deal with the problems of life. <br /><br /><b>10.</b> With this complete adjustment, you accept the food, drinks, habits and customs of the host country, and you may even find yourself preferring some things in the host country to things at home. You have now understood that there are different ways to live your life and that no way is really better than another, just different. Finally you have become comfortable in the new place.<br /><br /><b>11.</b> It is important to remember that not everyone experiences all the phases of culture shock. It is also important to know that you can experience all of them at different times: you might experience the regression phase before the rejection phase, etc. You might even experience the regression phase on Monday, the at ease phase on Tuesday, the honeymoon phase on Wednesday, and the rejection phase again on Thursday. "What will Friday be like?"<br /><br /><b>12.</b> Much later, you may find yourself returning to your homeland and - guess what? - you may find yourself entering the fifth phase of culture shock. This is called "reverse culture shock" or "return culture shock" and occurs when you return home. You have been away for a long time, becoming comfortable with the habits and customs of a new lifestyle and you may find that you are no longer completely comfortable in your home country. Many things may have changed while you were away and - surprise! surprise! - it may take a little while to become at ease with the cues and signs and symbols of your home culture.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Conclusion<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 36pt;"><b><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">13.</span></b><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"> Reverse culture shock can be very difficult. There is a risk of sickness or emotional problems in many of the phases of culture shock. Remember to be kind to yourself all the time that you are overseas, and when you get home, give yourself time to adjust. Be your own best friend. If you do these things you will be a much stronger person. If you do these things, congratulations, you will be a citizen of the world!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><br /><br />Amanda Seyerhttps://plus.google.com/104368280830404235093noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6553388201961125907.post-15135147812984687932013-02-04T20:13:00.002-08:002013-02-04T20:14:38.320-08:00Clearing the air about CanadaSince my last couple posts I have gotten a lot of questions regarding my plans for Canada. I think its because it&nbsp;appears&nbsp;I'm&nbsp;making longer term plans for down here. Which I am but without giving up completely on&nbsp;Canada&nbsp; The thing is this road to Canada&nbsp;isn't&nbsp;going to be a short one nor an easy one. In the mean time I plan to spend my time wisely and "work as unto the Lord". This means help my work to make changes for a long term betterment, get some schooling,&nbsp;invest&nbsp;in my future of my children, get a perminant residency so I&nbsp;don't&nbsp;have to pay immigration every year, &nbsp;and use my infonavit to buy a house in Mexico,<br /><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">Last</span> week I&nbsp;received&nbsp;my letter from CARNA that says they accepted my application and I need to go take my test. CARNA is the collage (board) of nursing in Alberta. To be exact here is the email minus personal details.<br /><br /><h4><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span lang="EN-US">Dear Amanda &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<wbr></wbr>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<wbr></wbr>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></span><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">&nbsp;</span></span><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">This e-mail is to advise you on the status of your application for assessment with the College &amp; Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta (CARNA).</span></span><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">&nbsp;</span></span><b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Please keep this email for your records, as it is the only notice you will receive.</span></span></b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">&nbsp;</span></span><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Under Alberta legislation and regulation an internationally educated applicant is assessed for&nbsp;<b>substantially equivalent competence</b>&nbsp;at the level expected of the Alberta graduate and the registered nurse (RN) in Alberta. On review of your file, it could not be determined that you currently possess the knowledge and skills (competencies) expected of an RN in Alberta.</span></span><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">&nbsp;</span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><b><span lang="EN-US">As part of the assessment of your application, you must complete a Substantially Equivalent Competency (SEC) assessment</span></b><span lang="EN-US">.&nbsp;&nbsp;Your application cannot proceed until after you have completed the following SEC assessment(s):<br /><u></u><u></u></span></span><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">&nbsp;</span></span></i><i style="color: #222222;">General Nursing,&nbsp;</i><i style="color: #222222;">Maternal/Newborn Health Nursing,&nbsp;</i><i style="color: #222222;">Child Health Nursing,&nbsp;</i><i style="color: #222222;">Mental Health Nursing</i></span></h4><h4><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">&nbsp;</span></span><b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">The SEC assessment takes place in Alberta, Canada, at one of the IEN Assessment Centres of Mount Royal University, located in the city of Edmonton or the city of Calgary.</span></span></b><b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">&nbsp;</span></span></b><b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Your English language&nbsp;proficiency has been met at this time.</span></span></b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">&nbsp;</span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><b><span lang="EN-US">You have two years from the date of this e-mail to complete the SEC assessment(s)</span></b><span lang="EN-US">.&nbsp;<b>CARNA recommends that you contact the Mount Royal University IEN Assessment Centre as soon as possible to book your assessment(s), as dates are booked well in advance.<br /><u></u><u></u></b></span></span><b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">&nbsp;</span></span></b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">An application is considered lapsed if there is no evidence of progress toward meeting application and/or registration requirements for two (2) years. Applicants with lapsed files must apply for re-assessment by submitting a new application and fee for re-assessment and updated documentation.&nbsp; Application files will be securely destroyed after six (6) years of inactivity, (four (4) years after the date they are considered lapsed).</span></span></span></i></h4><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">&nbsp;This email is exactly what we were expecting and Im glad I have two years to make it up there. Basically there is no way we can afford to go there and I refuse to let my wonderful sister pay my whole way. (Yes she offered the day I got the email). First I need to study and get myself ready, but that is not the only issue. Also I cant let someone pay a ton of money on something which totally rides on how well I do on this test. Just to show you what Im looking at this is how it is explained on their website.&nbsp;<u></u></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="font-size: x-small;"><i>What is the SEC Assessment?</i></b><i style="font-size: x-small;">The SEC assessment uses a variety of methods to assess professional nursing knowledge, skills, values, judgment and critical thinking, and the ability to apply these safely, competently, and ethically in the practice setting. The applicant will be assessed in areas such as:</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></div><h4></h4><h4></h4><h4><ul style="font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4em;" type="disc"><li style="margin-bottom: 0px !important; text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">medical, surgical and specialty nursing knowledge and skills across the lifespan</span></i></li></ul><ul style="font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4em;" type="disc"><li style="margin-bottom: 0px !important; text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">anatomy and physiology and pathophysiology knowledge</span></i></li></ul><ul style="font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4em;" type="disc"><li style="margin-bottom: 0px !important; text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">pharmacology and medication administration</span></i></li></ul><ul style="font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4em;" type="disc"><li style="margin-bottom: 0px !important; text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">health history and health assessment knowledge and skills</span></i></li></ul><ul style="font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4em;" type="disc"><li style="margin-bottom: 0px !important; text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">basic and advanced clinical skills as well as use of current technology in nursing practice</span></i></li></ul><ul style="font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4em;" type="disc"><li style="margin-bottom: 0px !important; text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">clinical judgment, problem solving, and critical thinking skills and evidence informed practice</span></i></li></ul><ul style="font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4em;" type="disc"><li style="margin-bottom: 0px !important; text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">knowledge of the Canadian health-care system and current nursing practices</span></i></li></ul><ul style="font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4em;" type="disc"><li style="margin-bottom: 0px !important; text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">professional responsibility and accountability</span></i></li></ul><ul style="font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4em;" type="disc"><li style="margin-bottom: 0px !important; text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">therapeutic communication practices; nurse client interactions and relationships</span></i></li></ul><ul style="font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4em;" type="disc"><li style="margin-bottom: 0px !important; text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">cultural competencies</span></i></li></ul><ul style="font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4em;" type="disc"><li style="margin-bottom: 0px !important; text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">ethical decision making skills</span></i></li></ul><ul style="font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4em;" type="disc"><li style="margin-bottom: 0px !important; text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">regulation of the profession</span></i></li></ul><ul style="font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4em;" type="disc"><li style="margin-bottom: 0px !important; text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">CARNA Nursing Practice Standards&nbsp;and&nbsp;CNA Code of Ethics for Registered Nurses</span></i></li></ul></h4><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">The different assessment methods utilized in the SEC assessment identify whether an applicant currently possesses the competencies that are required to fulfill the roles and responsibilities of the RN in the Canadian health care system, or if competency gaps exist, and to what extent.<br /><b>Where can you find more information about the Alberta RN competencies?</b>The expected competencies are found in the CARNA document:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nurses.ab.ca/pdf/Entry-to-Practice%20competencies.pdf" style="color: #1f2a78;">Entry to Practice Competencies for the Registered Nurses Profession</a><span lang="EN-US"><b style="font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;">What is involved in the SEC Assessment?</b></span><br />The email you received from CARNA identified the type (areas) of SEC assessment you are required to complete.<br />The SEC assessment will take from two (2) to five (5) days to complete, depending on the areas of assessment required. It involves examinations, clinical judgment interviews, and lab and case management situations designed to provide you opportunities to demonstrate your knowledge, skills and ability to meet the entry to practice competencies expected of RNs in Alberta.</span></i><br /><div style="font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.4em;"><b></b></div><div style="font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.4em;"><b></b></div><div style="font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.4em;"><i></i></div><div style="font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.4em;"><b></b></div><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"></span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Again to put this in perspective we are not talking about coming strait out of school and &nbsp;taking a boards exam which is on a computer and lasts 3-6 hours. This is 8 years after nursing school, 2 years without working, and 2 years working as a nurse in Mexico (which is way behind on a lot in nursing.). This&nbsp;</span>assessment<span style="font-family: inherit;">&nbsp;</span></span><span style="color: #222222;">consist</span><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">&nbsp;of having a written test, interviews and skill lab tests. I know after studying I will do ok but again&nbsp;</span>I'm<span style="font-family: inherit;">&nbsp;not going to let my sister spend a ton of money and risk that. My current plan is to not stress first of all. I have learned a lot about the benefits of not stressing since I moved down here. Next I am going to get in touch with the place to schedule the appointment and find out how far in advance I can make it. I feel like in about a year we may be in a place where we can save up enough if added to the possible donations from my donate for Canada button to send me up there. Also&nbsp;</span>I'm<span style="font-family: inherit;">&nbsp;starting to look more in detail about how much this thing will cost. I think&nbsp;</span>I'm<span style="font-family: inherit;">&nbsp;looking at around 3000usd.&nbsp;</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yikes that is a ton of money for us. What I do know is God is amazing and if he wants us to be in Canada the money will come in at the right time and the appointment will be made at the right time.&nbsp;</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">My focus this year is to stay focused and on the things that really matter. Which is what my inspiration board is all about. And just as a reminder the first thing on my board says:</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.796875px;">" Brothers I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do:&nbsp;Forgetting&nbsp;what is behind an straining toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heaven ward in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things&nbsp;and&nbsp;if on some point you think differently, that to God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained."</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20.796875px;">The&nbsp;second&nbsp;and third are my family. These things are my focus.&nbsp;</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20.796875px;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20.796875px;">My pastor said something that struck me as&nbsp;</span></span><span style="line-height: 20.796875px;">wonderful</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20.796875px;">&nbsp;the other day. He mentioned helping someone push a car. If you have every pushed a car you know it gets easier as the car gets moving and although its almost impossible to push a car around a corner when its stopped its not to hard if you are already moving. He compared this to how it is with God and doing things with our lives. The moment he said it I felt like its how Im going about things right now. Im just running and waiting on god to push me to one side or the other when its time. I&nbsp;</span></span><span style="line-height: 20.796875px;">don't</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20.796875px;">&nbsp;plan on sitting still, meaning&nbsp;</span></span><span style="line-height: 20.796875px;">I'm</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20.796875px;">&nbsp;going to start&nbsp;</span></span><span style="line-height: 20.796875px;">studying</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20.796875px;">&nbsp;and looking to where the money will come from, and in this I hope God will push me in the direction he wishes. On the other hand its also important to say I also know my hope and strength are in God alone. Meaning if we go or if we stay will not determine my happiness.&nbsp;</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20.796875px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20.796875px;">I do request prayers for God to give us&nbsp;</span></span><span style="line-height: 20.796875px;">wisdom,</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20.796875px;">&nbsp; peace, and understanding. He has been very&nbsp;</span></span><span style="line-height: 20.796875px;">plentiful</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20.796875px;">&nbsp;in this with me in the past and I know he will continue. Your prayers and thoughts always help.&nbsp;</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20.796875px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20.796875px;">Thanks for reading.&nbsp;</span></span></span></div><div><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>Amanda Seyerhttps://plus.google.com/104368280830404235093noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6553388201961125907.post-8128319386449020972013-01-27T15:06:00.001-08:002013-01-27T15:07:06.620-08:00Good bye tiendaI was just cleaning out the drafts on my blog site and came across this little Joy. Made me laugh and also glad Im in a totally different place in life. This was written only a year after I moved to Mexico.<br /><br />Interesting...<br /><br />So the owner of my building is aparently off to the states to try and make some money for his family. Aparently he went broke building this place. He had to close his store and we will be paying rent directly to his wife. So they cleaned out the store yesterday. I watched from my window as they halled everything to their van. Yesterday evening when my husband came home he went in to chat with them a bit. He wishes he hadnt. Ok we all know these litle tiendas have to be crawling with roaches. But we buy what we need and move on, its not like we are living there. This particual tienda was one of the cleanest and neatest Iv ever seen. There was no product on the floor everything was up on shelves and the floor was mopped with bleach more than once a day. My husband said when he went in to chat he was so grossed out. The owner was even taking the curtains down and had to shake them out and bugs were falling off of them. My husband shuddered as he was telling me which made me glad I didnt see it. Like I said we all know but who wants to actually see it. So we sprayed our door and window framesAmanda Seyerhttps://plus.google.com/104368280830404235093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6553388201961125907.post-63211973944070793242013-01-27T15:00:00.003-08:002013-01-27T15:02:13.142-08:00Bienvenido 2013 Quick Spanish up date:<br />Out of curiosity how many of you read the title Bien<b>b</b>eni<b>d</b>o <b>Dos Mil t(d)ece &nbsp;</b> and how many read it Bienvendio two thousand thirteen.&nbsp;I'm&nbsp;finding it more&nbsp;natural&nbsp;to read and think in Spanish. My goal this year is to grow my vocabulary and stop making stupid&nbsp;conjugation&nbsp;mistakes. Often times I try to speak faster than my brain can keep up and I make mistakes, when I logically know better. Not sure if that makes&nbsp;sense&nbsp;to you but that is the case.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uB5-Ubs_KDk/UQWptjQ1iNI/AAAAAAAAAuI/ysSip7QLw68/s1600/2013-01-19+10.44.15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uB5-Ubs_KDk/UQWptjQ1iNI/AAAAAAAAAuI/ysSip7QLw68/s1600/2013-01-19+10.44.15.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: start;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: start;">FM2 renewal vs Residency</div><div style="text-align: start;">So this year our plan is to get my Permanent&nbsp;Residency&nbsp;here in Mexico. To apply for this instead of an FM2 renewal is basically the same. Every year there is a different basic procedure at the immigration office. This year they no longer let just anyone enter and and get a number (ficha) Now you have to wait in a line which trails down three flights of stairs. Once you reach the desk they tell you if you are missing any documents and which area you will be going to when you reconcile those documents. If you have to return to the same desk that day you do not have to wait in line again. Although waiting in line on stairs for 40 min sucks it actually all moves a lot faster than before. So even though they&nbsp;haven't&nbsp;reached customer service they are at least reaching&nbsp;efficiency. I filled out my form, got pictures taken and wrote my letters at the little office on the corner which does all things necessary for documents. While I did all this with my two oldest girls my husband was waiting in the line on the stairs with the youngest. He came back with a form saying we needed to pay 1,000 pesos. They told us this was going to be the only fee and as you can imagine it was not. We paid the fee at the bank and went back to turn in the papers at the desk. The webpaged showed I needed to show at the window one day before they took their holiday breaks so needless to say I&nbsp;didn't&nbsp;make it until after Jan 6th to go see what the trouble was. This is when they gave me the form to pay 3,850 pesos in order to&nbsp;receive&nbsp;my&nbsp;documents. Sadly enough we believed them the first time they said we would not have to pay more and&nbsp;didn't&nbsp;have enough to pay for it. Now we are waiting to save up the money so we can go pay the fee and turn in the&nbsp;receipt&nbsp; Ill let you know once that happens to see if I get my card that day or if I have to wait for them to process everything.&nbsp;</div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PobDE8OMpjc/UQWptjHK2nI/AAAAAAAAAuM/aOOSl-za0n0/s1600/2013-01-19+11.18.10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PobDE8OMpjc/UQWptjHK2nI/AAAAAAAAAuM/aOOSl-za0n0/s1600/2013-01-19+11.18.10.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: start;">Life</div><div style="text-align: start;">Im loving it, we are making great improvements at the hospital. My English classes are taking off and as always I have a lot of fun doing them. Our schedules are still pretty packed but its in a good way where none of us including the girls are overly stressed but also are not sitting at home boared. To be honest Im loving life. God has provided left and right and any dreams I thought were ruined because we had to move have been exceeded. My girls are growing up bilingual and bicultural. I am becoming bilingual. My husband is at home with my girls so they are getting a strong base of knowing how&nbsp;wonderful&nbsp;they are and getting daily time with Papi. I am working as a nurse and making a difference in a small way. I also still have plenty of time to have fun, play games and&nbsp;excessive&nbsp;with my girls in the evenings. Some evenings papis gone and we have girl nights, those are lots of fun. As always I still miss my family and hate that my girls wont know them better but skype helps us a lot in that aspect and Im hoping one of my little sister is planning on making a yearly trip down to see us. Also my mom should be coming again within the next year.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PB_Al8hVK7Y/UQWptnUfGJI/AAAAAAAAAuQ/xYG_Pg8T2Xs/s1600/2013-01-19+13.05.34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PB_Al8hVK7Y/UQWptnUfGJI/AAAAAAAAAuQ/xYG_Pg8T2Xs/s1600/2013-01-19+13.05.34.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br />Over my birthday I got to explore Lake Chapala for the first time and I can assure it will not be the last.<br /><br />Inspiration board<br />So This year instead of writing resolutions I decided to take a good idea from my sister and make an Inspiration board. As I was telling my husband about it he asked if I could put his goals on half of it. I was so excited about that idea that of course I would do it. As we talked we realized we had the same goals for the year. With that in mind I decided we should just make a family board. I used a picture divider that came in a frame, it had six &nbsp;5x7 spaces. The first space we put a verse that we decided would be or spiritual focus this year it reads, " Brothers I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do:&nbsp;Forgetting&nbsp;what is behind an straining toward the gal to win the prize for which God has called me heaven ward in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things&nbsp;and&nbsp;if on some point you think differently, that to God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained."<br />Our second goal is to&nbsp;strengthen&nbsp;or relationship as a couple and parents. It has romantic words and sticker and a big number 2. Next comes a picture of the girls with a sticker that says everyday life. We want to remember every day to pay attention to them and talk to them. If you&nbsp;don't&nbsp;have kids this may seem obvious, but those of you who do know that sometimes parents can get caught up in their own lives and forget to slow down enough to sit and really listen to their kids. Especially&nbsp;when&nbsp;hey are still so little, but I&nbsp;truly&nbsp;believe this is very important. Our fourth goal is to become better stewards of the&nbsp;resources&nbsp;and money God give us. We are trying to pray more about our finances. Also we have goals to start savings bonds for each girls for collage this year. Next is that my husband and I both want to further our education in some form. &nbsp;Last is our Health and dieting. We are both hoping to eat better and&nbsp;exercise&nbsp; This is a necessity. For example today on our walk to church we tried to race and I&nbsp;didn't&nbsp;run far and was so out of breath it was sad.<br />The best part about all this was that the Sunday morning I got it done our paster was talking about priorities and I felt like God was letting us know quite clearly that he liked the goals we had made. Its amazing how God speaks to us and so clearly if we only keep our hearts and minds open to him.<br />We are also doing a "good things Jar" Anytime something good happens this year we are going to save it in this Jar. Every year we talk about our favorite thing from the year before but I feel that we leave a lot out. Also my girls are going to be in on it so if they say its something that needs to be put in the Jar it will go in.<br />Well I wanted to put a pic of both the board and the Jar but its not letting me send it from my phone. Maybe on the next post<br /><br />God is good, always has been and always will be.Amanda Seyerhttps://plus.google.com/104368280830404235093noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6553388201961125907.post-30189305723856401842013-01-27T14:03:00.000-08:002013-01-27T15:01:30.076-08:00Its been awhile, there has been some changesHey there trustee readers. I apologise for how long its been since I wrote. A lot has happened and for the better. My family has been continuously blessed since the last time I wrote.<br /><div>I had in the past wrote quite a few posts about how my job in the hospital was not going quite as planned. To be honest there was one or two people constantly trying to block any efforts I made to help make the hospital a better place. In October I became so feed up with it that I decided I must leave the hospital. I looked for other jobs and when nothing was forth coming we made the decision for my husband to go back to work full time and me stay home with the girls and focus on growing my English students. I wasn't supper excited about the prospect but I figured if it was what God had for our lives I would roll with it. What I was sure of is that God did not expect me to live in constant frustration and under the thumb of someone else. The Quality team at our hospital got wind of my plans and the next thing I knew I was in their office being asked some strange questions. I didnt realize until later but my answers were part of a "study" they were doing on me and the coworker who was hasseling me. They used our answers as evidence that I should be moved to the Quality care team and seperated, as far as chain of comand goes, from those people who were blocking me. They offered me the option and I jumped on it. My hours are not changed therefore I am able to keep all the English Classes I had before and my husband was able to keep all his Spanish evening classes he was giving. So instead of making a change that would lower our income a bit we made a change that didnt change our income at all. On top of it all I still have job security, and am happier about what I am doing with in the hospital. I love working as a nurse an it has always been so much a part of me that I feel imensly blessed that God has provided me this oportunity. Also I think I need to add that my husband is a saint for staying home with my girls so I can work. We relaized its just not worth it for both of us to work because the second income goes strait to day care. Pluss its so much better for the girls to be home if its possible. He is amazing and doing an excellent job as a stay at home dad. He does do classes in the evening but my house is (almost) always clean and dinner is (almost) always made at home. At the hospital its only two months later and i have already been able to implement some of the change that I had been trying to do for the past year.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Currently we are pretty busy but in a good way. We actually have some really good friends who are like family to us. They love my girls and help us with them. This is a huge change for us and we love it, not sure what Im gonna do when they have to leave us in a year or so. My schedual is that I go to work in the office from 7am to 230pm Monday through Friday, during the week I have English classses every evening until about 6 or 7 depending on the day but the classes after 5 are at my house so Im still with my girls. I then do Nursng supervisor work on Sunday evenings which is great because Im still getting to practice the application side of nursing and not just theory. My husband has about four steady spanish students that keeps him buys most evenings but he is always home in time for us to have a couple hours together before bed. I honestly couldnt be happier about the way things are going for us.&nbsp;</div><div>After the accident we had to sell our truck to pay for our debts so we are now with only one car. Really it doesnt affect us to much but as far as going to the church we were going to, it wasnt possible anymore. We recently found a small church (which is the way we like it) within walking distance of the house. So on Sunday mornings I walk with the girls to church. About halfway through my hubby strolls in from his Spanish class and I leave close to the closing to get ready for work. He then walks home with the girls. Its funny how things seem so imposible until you actually have to do them.&nbsp;</div><div>In novemember my sister came down for vacation and I applied for my Perminent Resedency which are both for other posts. Now that I have caught you up I need to go do some reading and get caught up on all of you.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>These are happy and exciting times for our family and I am thankfull for any prayers that have been made for us. My God is always good even when times are hard and in times like these I can reflect on the harder times and see more clearly how he pulled us through.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Blessings</div><div>Amanda</div>Amanda Seyerhttps://plus.google.com/104368280830404235093noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6553388201961125907.post-34713957326205114062012-09-01T07:43:00.001-07:002012-09-01T07:43:54.683-07:00Whats up CanadaSo I had a patient come into the hospital the other day who is Canadian. This is the second time Iv seen him and the last time was about the time I posted my last blog saying we were going to try and start the process. The first thing they said to me was, "Your not in Canada yet." I actually laughed and then said no, we are only the in the first stages of paperwork. Then I came to realize I had been asked a lot lately and only answer. "No there is a lot of paperwork." This week I remembered that I write a blog to help inform people so I decided I might as well explain a little better the step&nbsp;I'm&nbsp;on. So the Collage and Association of&nbsp;Registered&nbsp;Nurses of Alberta&nbsp;received&nbsp;my application and responded with a perfectly clear list of the items I lack. Here is the basics of it. The red is what&nbsp;I'm&nbsp;doing about it.&nbsp;<div><br /></div><div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-left: 1.65pt;"><b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Please note that the following requirements are outstanding:<u></u><u></u></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-left: 1.65pt;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; margin-left: 37.65pt;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><u></u></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 13px;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><u></u></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 13px;">Verification of nurse registration for RN/LPN license in Missouri and verification from Mexico.</span><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: x-small;">&nbsp;Crapola was my initial answer. My work didnt require this and said my US lic was&nbsp;sufficient&nbsp;up until about a month ago. At that point I started the process. Right now Im waiting on my appostilled Diploma from the Secretary of State in MO. I recently recived and informative and&nbsp;helpful&nbsp;email from them also. I hope to be getting it back in the next few weeks. Then I will bring: (Should I translate this???) Let me know if anyone reads it and wants it translated. I can do it no problem just feeling like it may not be necessary.</span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; margin-left: 37.65pt;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0cm 36pt 10pt 0cm; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: red;">En caso de ser&nbsp;<strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Extranjeros con Estudios en el Extranjero</strong>, los requisitos son:</span></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">1.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Copia legible de la cédula personal con efectos de patente de nivel licenciatura por ambos lados.</span></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">2.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Copia legible de la CURP.</span></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">3.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Tres&nbsp;fotografías recientes tamaño infantil en blanco y negro con fondo blanco, en papel mate con&nbsp;retoque.</span></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">4.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Original y copia legible del comprobante de pago de Derechos Federales, con la cuota vigente al momento de presentar la solicitud. El pago puede realizarse en cualquier institución bancaria a través de la&nbsp;<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.sep.gob.mx/work/models/sep1/Resource/1390/1/images/haespe12(2).pdf" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Hoja de Ayuda</span></span></a></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">5.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Copia certificada ante Notario Público del documento migratorio, que compruebe su legal estancia en el país para el caso de extranjeros.</span></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">6.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Original y copia legible de la resolución de revalidación de estudios de la especialidad otorgada por la SEP.</span></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">7.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Original y copia legible del Diploma de Especialidad, debidamente legalizado por el Servicio Consular Mexicano o apostillado en el país que lo expidió. En caso de que el diploma no esté en español, deberá presentarse con su traducción por el perito autorizado por el Tribunal Superior de Justicia.</span></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">8.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Para poder realizar este trámite es necesario realizar&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.citas.sep.gob.mx/citas/indice.jsp" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://www.sep.gob.mx/work/models/sep1/css/icoExt.png); background-position: 100% 3px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 12px 0px 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">cita</span></span></a></span></span>, de lo contrario no se le podrá atender en ventanilla.</span></span></span></div><br /><div style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-left: 37.65pt;"><span style="color: #222222;"><u></u></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></span><span style="color: #222222;"><u></u></span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">Nursing education transcripts from your school of nursing for your practical nursing program and general nursing program. </span><span style="color: red;">Well I mailed the request off when I mailed the original application. Im wondering if I mailed it also for my practical program now but I know I sent it to the RN one. I guess if I the LPN one doesnt show up when the other does Ill mail it off. Or maybe I should just request another one just in case. Not sure on that one yet.&nbsp;</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">We require the total nursing practice hours you worked as an RN, to be documented on the documentation of nursing experience form.&nbsp; On the application form you included the hours worked as an LPN in the total number of nursing practice hours.&nbsp; Please complete the attached form showing the hours as an RN and return to CARNA.<u></u><u></u></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin-left: 1.65pt;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Cambria, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The hospital I worked at&nbsp;outsourced&nbsp;this type of&nbsp;information&nbsp;and was a major pain to get. But that form was filled out and mailed to Canada yesterday.&nbsp;</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-left: 1.65pt;"><b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">On receipt of all documentation, your file will be brought forward for assessment. Please note that during the assessment of your application, you may be required to provide additional information or documentation.</span><span style="color: red;">Whoo hooo how could I ever forget it. ;)</span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-left: 1.65pt;"><br /></div></div>Amanda Seyerhttps://plus.google.com/104368280830404235093noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6553388201961125907.post-57370449889059795202012-08-10T12:46:00.001-07:002013-08-31T09:13:24.343-07:00Incapacidad en Mexico<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;">Well I had an accident with a city bus the other day. It was&nbsp;probably&nbsp;the scariest thing I have ever been through. Sometimes I can still see the bus coming at me and I have to fight off the memory. Im just so glad I was alone and none of my girls or husband were with me at the time. Below are pics and a&nbsp;description&nbsp;of what happened with the wreck. Also here is a&nbsp;description&nbsp;of what went on medically and with time off work. I first went to the clinic that my car insurance paid for and got a letter to bring into the seguro in order to get time off work. That clinic doctor took x rays and gave me pain meds and a&nbsp;neck brace. The next day I went and sat at my IMS clinic from 12 to 3pm where I saw my family doctor. He gave me 7 days off and a paper I had to have my work fill out in order to get full time pay. (that should have been done the night of the ER visit the day of the wreck but since I went to a private one with my insurace I did it then, the letter from the first clinic covered me otherwise I wouldnt have been able to claim it) Basically here if an accident happens within so many meters from your work place its&nbsp;considered&nbsp;a work accident and you get full pay from the seguro. &nbsp;Thankfully Issac did all the paperwork running around for me but I will explain what went on. He brought the form to my work who sent it to the third party company that actually handles my pay. After they returned it to my HR lady Issac went back to get it and went to the IMS the next&nbsp;morning&nbsp;at 8am. He&nbsp;received&nbsp;a ficha and was sent to a couple&nbsp;different&nbsp;windows for a couple&nbsp;different&nbsp;papers. In the end they made and appointment for me to see the workers comp doctor their at my clinic. I wen and actually&nbsp;didn't&nbsp;have to wait more than &nbsp;a few min. She agreed that it was a work place injury but because the third party put their address in place of where I work it looked like it happened across town so the IMS would only pay 60percent of my pay. I then called my HR lady very upset and she said the hospital would pay the other 40. I was in quite a bit of pain that first week. The whole left side of my body hurt and I&nbsp;couldn't&nbsp;raise my arms past waist high without pain. The second week after the 7 days I went back to see the doctor. At this point I was still having quite a bit of stiffness and pain. My shoulders and neck were like iron. Because of the pain my doctor gave me anther 7 days off and said within the next few days I should start weaning off the neck brace. Today I am&nbsp;neck brace&nbsp;free and actually cut back on one of the pin pills. Im still hurting but its&nbsp;manageable. Thankfully my husband is one of the best&nbsp;misuses&nbsp;Iv ever know and is doing quite well with helping me heal. I am off until next tuesday in which time&nbsp;I'm&nbsp;pretty sure Ill be ready to get back to work. In the mean time Im catching up with my book (finished book three and am now on book five of Game of Thrones), blog reading (even though I never comment sorry guys&nbsp;I'm&nbsp;a horrible blog friend sometimes... most of the time), my scrap book (finished a mini book for my sis in law, and a md size one for my mother in law, and started on mine), and time with my girls and husband. All these things take no effort on the part of my neck so its good to keep busy. I dont go out much because we are driving our truck which bounces around and hurts my back. Also I went with Issac to my workplace the other day to turn in some pics and driving down there freaked me out so bad I was more stiff when I got home.<br /><br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Basically after a full stop and seeing one bus&nbsp;stopped&nbsp;to let off passengers on a one lane one way street I&nbsp;proceed&nbsp;to cross. &nbsp;After the wreck I refused to speak to anyone until my insurance guy came. By then thankfully my English student I was meeting met up with me. Shes actually a good friend and stayed with me the whole time until Issac came and actually even then she stayed. Her presence was so welcomed and calming for me. I understood all of what was going on but it was nice to be able to check with her that I understood.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lhfBOH2_ulo/UCVelb00YTI/AAAAAAAAAtY/AX6T8PJeEG8/s1600/2012-07-30+18.27.00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="display: inline !important; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lhfBOH2_ulo/UCVelb00YTI/AAAAAAAAAtY/AX6T8PJeEG8/s200/2012-07-30+18.27.00.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As you can see I&nbsp;didn't&nbsp;quite make it across. I looked around the first bus and saw nothing. The bus that hit me came around the first bus going very fast. These are the skid marks of my car. That is how far he pushed me to the side after hitting me. The transitos suggestion to me was to not drive on the small streets close to downtown because, " this happens all the time."</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4VxcH3dESEY/UCVel82K49I/AAAAAAAAAtg/G9qSzpbCkYg/s1600/2012-07-30+18.27.13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4VxcH3dESEY/UCVel82K49I/AAAAAAAAAtg/G9qSzpbCkYg/s200/2012-07-30+18.27.13.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">he hit me going full speed as you can see his skid marks start about when mine do. I still&nbsp;don't&nbsp;see how he&nbsp;didn't&nbsp;see me. Also the bus driver never once checked to see if I was ok or asked about me. He just stood around&nbsp;obviously&nbsp;waiting for things to get done with so he could carry on with his day.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My car was almost across the street when he hit me. As you can see here the front half of my car was almost past by the time he hit me. &nbsp;Still after the transito showed up, he&nbsp;decided&nbsp;the fault was arguable. &nbsp;When they say that here they mean they will impound both vehicles and take up to a month deciding. By then they will be paid off and you will end up taking the blame and having to pay for every day your car was in impound. We cut our losses and left.<br /><br /><br />Yes its been a crazy couple weeks. Hope yours has been better.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table>Amanda Seyerhttps://plus.google.com/104368280830404235093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6553388201961125907.post-53381956242541012282012-07-09T18:14:00.001-07:002012-07-09T18:14:56.442-07:00Asking for and accepting helpWell as I said before we have embarked on this mission to immigrate to Canada. We are leaving everything up to God and if things&nbsp;don't&nbsp;work as planned... well it&nbsp;wouldn't&nbsp;be the first time. God has his own plan and right now we feel that we are suppose to try. So try we will. Aside from the mountains of paperwork immigrating is expensive and more so when you going to a place where the money conversion is not in your favor. For example I make the about 700usd a month at my full time job. We are making it on that here but that helps you understand why no vacations to the states are in the future. We realize that one of the ways God may provide for us is through friends and family who wish to help us. My plan is to describe each step as we go and explain the expenses we will be facing. Also if we&nbsp;receive&nbsp;any financial help I will be posting what we are doing with the money we&nbsp;receive. &nbsp;Right now&nbsp;I'm&nbsp;going to try and give you the whole picture in a nut shell.<br /><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I wrote about the first step here: &nbsp;</span><a href="http://bordersaside.blogspot.mx/2012/06/taking-it-few-steps-at-time.html">http://bordersaside.blogspot.mx/2012/06/taking-it-few-steps-at-time.html</a><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Below I am pasting a read out I got from the Canadian Immigration site.&nbsp;</span><br /><br /><div class="alignCenter" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><h4 style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 17px;"> Summary of fees for selected services</h4></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Upon submission, fee totals due will be confirmed by the office processing your application(s).</div><form action="https://eservicesak.cic.gc.ca/efee/efee.do" method="post"><div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">*All fees and calculations are provided in Canadian Dollars only.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Your nearest&nbsp;<a href="http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/offices/apply-where.asp" style="color: #666633;">Visa office web site</a>&nbsp;will have the currency(ies) accepted.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></div><div class="businessDisplayBlock" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0.25in; margin-top: 0in;"><table class="businessDisplayTable" id="feeSummaryTable" style="background-color: #eff5fb; border-collapse: collapse; border: 2px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 13px; padding: 3px; width: 592px;"><tbody><tr><th class="dataGrid leftAlign" id="headerApplication" style="background-color: #224488; border: 2px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); color: white; height: 20px; padding: 3px; text-align: left;">Application</th><th class="dataGrid" id="headerQuantity" style="background-color: #224488; border: 2px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); color: white; height: 20px; padding: 3px; text-align: center;">Quantity</th><th class="dataGrid" id="headerCost" style="background-color: #224488; border: 2px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); color: white; height: 20px; padding: 3px; text-align: center;">Price(C$)/Unit</th><th class="dataGrid" id="headerTotal" style="background-color: #224488; border: 2px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); color: white; height: 20px; padding: 3px; text-align: center;">Total(C$)</th></tr><tr class="highLightLob" style="background-color: darkgrey; font-weight: bold;"><td class="dataGrid leftAlign indent0" colspan="4" style="border: 2px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); height: 20px; padding: 3px; text-align: left;">Immigration Applications for Persons Outside Canada</td></tr><tr class="highLightCategoryTop" style="background-color: #a7c4e2; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"><td class="dataGrid leftAlign indent10" colspan="4" style="border: 2px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); height: 20px; padding: 3px 3px 3px 10px; text-align: left;">Permanent Residence</td></tr><tr><td class="dataGrid leftAlign indent20" headers="headerApplication" style="border: 2px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); height: 20px; padding: 3px 3px 3px 20px; text-align: left;">Right of Permanent Residence Fee</td><td class="dataGrid" headers="headerQuantity" style="border: 2px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); height: 20px; padding: 3px; text-align: center;">2</td><td class="dataGrid rightAlign" headers="headerCost" style="border: 2px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); height: 20px; padding: 3px; text-align: right;">$490.00</td><td class="dataGrid rightAlign" headers="headerTotal" style="border: 2px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); height: 20px; padding: 3px; text-align: right;">$980.00</td></tr><tr class="highLightCategory" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"><td class="dataGrid leftAlign indent20" colspan="4" style="border: 2px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); height: 20px; padding: 3px 3px 3px 20px; text-align: left;">Other classes of applicants - Skilled Workers, Provincial Nominees</td></tr><tr><td class="dataGrid leftAlign indent30" headers="headerApplication" style="border: 2px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); height: 20px; padding: 3px 3px 3px 30px; text-align: left;">Principal applicant</td><td class="dataGrid" headers="headerQuantity" style="border: 2px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); height: 20px; padding: 3px; text-align: center;">1</td><td class="dataGrid rightAlign" headers="headerCost" style="border: 2px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); height: 20px; padding: 3px; text-align: right;">$550.00</td><td class="dataGrid rightAlign" headers="headerTotal" style="border: 2px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); height: 20px; padding: 3px; text-align: right;">$550.00</td></tr><tr><td class="dataGrid leftAlign indent30" headers="headerApplication" style="border: 2px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); height: 20px; padding: 3px 3px 3px 30px; text-align: left;">A family member of the principal applicant who is 22 years of age or older, or is less than 22 years of age and is a spouse or common-law partner</td><td class="dataGrid" headers="headerQuantity" style="border: 2px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); height: 20px; padding: 3px; text-align: center;">1</td><td class="dataGrid rightAlign" headers="headerCost" style="border: 2px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); height: 20px; padding: 3px; text-align: right;">$550.00</td><td class="dataGrid rightAlign" headers="headerTotal" style="border: 2px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); height: 20px; padding: 3px; text-align: right;">$550.00</td></tr><tr><td class="dataGrid leftAlign indent30" headers="headerApplication" style="border: 2px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); height: 20px; padding: 3px 3px 3px 30px; text-align: left;">A family member of the principal applicant who is less than 22 years of age and is not a spouse or common-law partner</td><td class="dataGrid" headers="headerQuantity" style="border: 2px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); height: 20px; padding: 3px; text-align: center;">3</td><td class="dataGrid rightAlign" headers="headerCost" style="border: 2px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); height: 20px; padding: 3px; text-align: right;">$150.00</td><td class="dataGrid rightAlign" headers="headerTotal" style="border: 2px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); height: 20px; padding: 3px; text-align: right;">$450.00</td></tr><tr class="highLightRow" style="font-weight: bold;"><td class="dataGrid rightAlign" colspan="3" style="border: 2px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); height: 20px; padding: 3px; text-align: right;">Total:</td><td class="dataGrid rightAlign" style="border: 2px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); height: 20px; padding: 3px; text-align: right;">$2530.00</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="businessDisplayBlock" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0.25in; margin-top: 0in;">Obviously none of this includes traveling ext. I have a great offer for a place to stay in Calgary so that has been provided!!! Yeah for my blog buddies!!!&nbsp;</div><div class="businessDisplayBlock" style="margin-bottom: 0.25in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">So to answer the questions I have been getting and the&nbsp;actual&nbsp;reason for this post is to tell you I have placed a&nbsp;PayPal donate button on my blog. If you feel that you want your specific donation to go to a specific payment or anything like that feel free to let me know. I know sometimes people feel very specific callings and sometimes not. And as I have said before we&nbsp;consider&nbsp;prayer the most important&nbsp;assistance&nbsp;so for those of you who can not help us in this way your support and prayers are very important to us.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></div><div class="businessDisplayBlock" style="margin-bottom: 0.25in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div class="businessDisplayBlock" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0.25in; margin-top: 0in;"><br /></div></form>Amanda Seyerhttps://plus.google.com/104368280830404235093noreply@blogger.com3